That Which Was Lost - A Kakashi Love Tale
by cstylez303
Summary: A tragic love tale that centers around Kakashi. If I had done something different would she still be here with me? Who is this new face that has appeared before me? Can old scars heal? Will a new love exist? And most importantly, what really happened 10 years ago?
1. Chapter 1: New Beginnings

** Chapter 1: New Beginnings**

*Beep* *Beep* *Beep* went the alarm as it signaled the 5am hour. A groaning Kakashi reached for the alarm to quiet the loud intruder to his dreams. Despite all his training, and early morning missions, waking up never became easier. With a final sigh, and many protests from his stiff joints, he managed to pull himself out of bed, and prepare for the coming mission.

With the Fourth Great Shinobi War a thing of the past, and the slain shinobi revived through Edo-Pain's Heavenly Life technique, the different villages were back to their normal routines, which meant missions started again. With Madara defeated and the tailed beasts now working as allies to the shinobi (more specifically with Naruto), the greatest threat to the peace now came at the hands of the revived Orochimaru, who was up to his normal diabolical schemes.

One fortunate outcome from the Great War was the improved bonds between the Five Great Nations. Due to the improved relationships, Lady Tsunade was miraculously able to gain leniency for the returned Sasuke, under the condition that a retainer accompany him at all times. This job fell into Kakashi's hands, as this was easiest since Sasuke himself was not thrilled to have a permanent escort. To further ease the situation Lady Tsunade had ordered Sasuke, Team Kakashi, and Team Guy to investigate all of Orochimaru's hideouts. Sasuke's first-hand knowledge would be beneficial in their investigations of Orochimaru.

With a final check through his supplies, and glance around his apartment, Kakashi turned off the lights and locked the door, knowing that he wouldn't be back home for a long time. He still had two hours before the meeting time, which gave him just enough time to visit the graves of his dear friends Obito and Rin, and one other place, that he held just as sacred as the graves.

For all his hatred of waking up early, walking through the empty streets in the morning was his favorite part of the day. It gave him time to think, and feel peace, which is so hard to come by when one is employed as a shinobi. The new mission he was assigned would hardly leave him with any peaceful moments. Despite his unwavering trust in Guy, missions with him meant daily harassments for challenges, and loud declarations of burning youth. On top of that, Naruto and Sasuke would be constantly bickering, while Sakura, and her violent tendencies towards Naruto would cause havoc. Even the resurrected Neji would offer him little solace as his revival came at the increased fussiness of Tenten, and their newfound romantic relationship. No, he would have to seek solace in the socially awkward, yet capable Sai's presence.

With an exasperated sigh, Kakashi continued on his morning stroll towards a small house tucked back in a quiet corner of the village. The small house had stood empty for ten long years, but that didn't stop him from visiting at least once a month to clean, and air it out. He knew it would be better to sell the place to someone who would actually use it, but deep down inside he couldn't let go of the hope that one day he would go there and the person he longed for most would be there to welcome him inside.

A deep wave of sadness and regret clung to his heart every time he came here. _If only I had gone with her. If only I had been there to protect her, then she would still be here with me. _His hand came to rest on the fireplace where a small K and Y surrounded by a heart had been carved nearly ten years ago, on the night before his one true love went missing. He smiled to himself remembering how she had teased him for being so cliché. How he wished he could return to those days he shared with her, she who made him into the man he is today.

To Be Continued…


	2. Chapter 2: Guilt

**Chapter 2: Guilt **

_Sixteen years ago:_

Kakashi sat alone in his dark room staring blankly at the empty walls. With the recent death of his dear sensei, and Fourth Hokage Minato, Kakashi truly had no one left in the world that he cared about. The small traces of humanity left in him died along with his sensei, leaving nothing but the "cold-hearted Kakashi" that he was so famously known by. A lethal killer, without an ounce of compassion, Kakashi became an object of awe and terror to the shinobi world.

Shortly after the passing of the Hokage, Lord Danzo managed to recruit Kakashi into the ROOT Division of the Black Ops. Kakashi never liked Danzo. He never trusted him. Behind his "for the good of the village" façade, there was a deceitful web of lies and conspiracy, that he never wanted any part of. However, with the loss of his last friend, he felt like nothing more than an empty shell, making him the perfect recruit for the Root division, or so he thought.

The next three years of his life were a never-ending cycle of espionage, assassinations, and training. Training to become more lethal. Assassinations for "the good of the village." If there was one thing that drove Kakashi to continue it wasn't due to praise from Danzo, it was his one, and only emotion that stayed with him through the deaths of his comrades; GUILT. The guilt for not being able to protect his friends. The guilt for Obito giving up his life in exchange for his own. The guilt in taking Rin's life with his own hands. The guilt for not being there to fight along side his sensei. He was completely consumed with guilt, which drove him to train harder and longer than anyone else. Despite the emotional turmoil he felt inside, his efforts and progress did not go unnoticed by Danzo, who had come to rely on him more than anyone else. Kakashi always felt this admiration to be ironic, as he still did not like, nor trust Danzo.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~I like to listen to music while I write. It helps me get into the mood, and channel more emotions into it. Today's music inspiration - One Republic: Apologize


	3. Chapter 3: Fateful Showdown

**Chapter 3: Fateful Showdown**

_Thirteen Years Ago:_

Every year, at the beginning of the Lunar New Year, the Third Hokage and Danzo held a contest between the main branch of the ANBU and the ROOT division. They would bring out their strongest members to fight, demonstrating the power of each division. For the last three years, Kakashi had been chosen as the ROOT participant, and always came out victorious, gaining great respect, and fear from the main ANBU branch. This year was no different. Kakashi was chosen to participate, while the main branch struggled to find a candidate willing to go up against him.

"If no one is willing to fight, can we just cancel this bothersome event?" Kakashi grumbled.

"Well Hiruzen, what do you say? Does the main branch really lack a suitable rival for my Kakashi?" Danzo smirked. To his surprise the Third Hokage smirked back at him.

"I wouldn't be so cocky right now Danzo. I think you will be surprised at the level of my kids. You see, they are a little lazy and take some motivation to get them going, but I am confident that they will not disappoint you." The Third Hokage retorted.

Just as he finished speaking, a petite, female ninja stepped out into the ring. "You see? My kids will never…Wait! I can't believe _she_ decided to participate!"

Danzo was confused at the sudden chilled expression the Hokage wore. As per custom of the ANBU, ninjas wore shinobi masks to conceal their identities; therefore it made it hard for him to distinguish who was behind the mask. "Why do you have that expression? Who is this _she_ you are talking about? She looks so small and weak."

"She is one of our new recruits, and I suggest you don't take her lightly. We will all be in grave danger if this fight gets out of hand." The Third whispered back. Danzo could see that the members of the main ANBU branch had all gone silent and subtly shifted away from the ring.

"Listen, it's admirable that you stepped up for your comrade's, but I'm not in the business of picking on little girls. Let's make this easier. How about I throw the match. Giving up the title of "reigning champ" would give me no greater joy." Kakashi lazily mused. The small kunoichi didn't say anything. For some reason this annoyed Kakashi. "Fine, don't say I didn't warn you."

"Tell me, besides being willing to give up your title, did you willingly give up on life?" The kunoichi asked.

"Pardon? Who says I have given up on life? I am clearly standing here aren't I?" Kakashi scoffed.

"You're body may be here but the real you is long, long gone." She said. "The thing standing before me is nothing but a shell of flesh and remorse. So I ask you again, did you willingly give up on life, just as you are willing to give up this contest?"

For the first time in three years Kakashi felt something that wasn't guilt. It was pure, uncontained rage. _Who the hell does this girl think she is? How dare she make assumptions about me! _Pulling a shuriken from his pouch he aimed for the small kunoichi, but she easily avoided it. "Get off your high freakin' horse. You don't know anything about me!" He yelled as he pulled a kunai from his pouch and charged.

"Struck a nerve, have I?" she said as she pulled out a short sword to block. "The more you try to deny and suppress your pain, the more you lose yourself."

"Looks like I will have to shut that mouth for you!" Kakashi yelled. "LIGHTNING STYLE: Lightning hound!" A giant hound made of lightning burst forth and charged straight for the kunoichi.

"WIND STYLE: Gale force blast!" Yelled the kunoichi. A giant funnel of wind engulfed the lightning hound leaving nothing behind as it dissipated.

_So she's a wind style user huh? I will have to use fire techniques then. _"FIRE STYLE: Fireball jutsu!" A humongous fireball began to barrel down on his opponent. _Let's see you try to dodge this, _thought Kakashi.

The small ninja weaved more hand signs and yelled, "WATER STYLE: Water Wall!" A wall of water burst from the ground and extinguished the oncoming fireball fired by Kakashi.

The thrill of an exciting battle had helped ease some of Kakashi's anger. It had been a long time since he faced such a skilled opponent, and found that he was actually enjoying it a little. Pushing aside his anger at her earlier accusations he managed to calm himself down enough to analyze his opponent. _So she has water and wind elements. Now that I know her elements this will make it easier, but I should be careful just in case she has a third element, _he thought to himself. "I'll admit you're pretty good. I'm even considering ignoring your inaccurate accusations from earlier, but unfortunately the victor will be me."

Upon hearing this the small ninja laughed at him, making him once again lose his composure. "I'm sorry, but in your present condition you are no match for me. Try again when you have found the will to live!" she said.

The last vestiges of Kakashi's self-control were ripped from him by that one statement from the kunoichi. Anger, hatred, sadness, remorse, and guilt came flooding to the surface in waves. Kakashi was thankful that he was wearing a mask so no one could see that he was crying beneath it. He had to end this fight before the girl could mess with his head anymore. With one final angry yell he shouted, "LIGHTNING STYLE: Lightning blade!" A wave of startled gasps erupted from the crowd. "What is Kakashi thinking? He will kill her with that jutsu!" "That poor girl is a gonner."

Danzo sat shocked in his chair. Kakashi had never shown any sign of emotions in all the time he worked with him. That is why he made such an excellent member of ROOT. Yet here, in this fight, all those emotions came flooding forth from Kakashi. There was something about the kunoichi that was drawing out Kakashi's emotions, and hell, if he was going to let her destroy his star recruit. As he began to motion for a hidden subordinate to assassinate her from the side, the Third Hokage stopped him. "Do not interfere. Let them finish this battle on their own. If your assassin tries to kill her, not just him, but you, me, and the rest of the people in this room will die at her hands."

"You've been keeping quite the nasty secret haven't you, Hiruzen?" Danzo said. "If she is as dangerous as you say, then she needs to be eliminated."

"The only thing that needs to be eliminated here is your ill will, and underhanded schemes. She does not pose a threat to the village, nor will I ever have her eliminated." The Third responded. Danzo signaled for his man to stand down, and turned his attention back to the fight at hand.

Kakashi was charging straight for the girl, with the lightning blade surrounding his right hand. He was going for the kill. Who cares that this was just for fun? This girl had reminded him of things that he had worked so hard to forget. She couldn't be allowed to live. Just as he was about to make contact the girl completely disappeared. A sudden sense of familiarity made Kakashi remember the Flying Thunder God technique that his sensei was legendary for using. There was no doubt about it. This girl had just used the Fourth's jutsu.

Stunned and completely unable to move, Kakashi was unable to defend himself from her final blow. "SECRET ART: Storm Surge!" A swirling funnel of chakra hit Kakashi so hard that he was knocked off his feet. While he slowly faded from consciousness he was just able to make out her form hovering over him, and heard her softly whisper, "Oh silly, why did you force yourself to use a jutsu that you fear?"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~This chapters musical inspiration: Emeli Sande- Read all about it


	4. Chapter 4: Moving Forward

**Chapter 4: Moving Forward…. **

_Thirteen Years Ago Continued…_

Pain. Unimaginable pain. That was all he felt. For the first time in a very long time, Kakashi's emotional pain was far outweighed by his physical pain. Even the simple act of breathing made him feel like a knife was being twisted in his chest. _Damn that kunoichi_, thought Kakashi to himself. Despite the angry protests of his body he managed to pull himself into a sitting position before he succumbed to the pain, forcing him back into his pile of pillows.

"I wouldn't be moving around yet if I were you. You're body isn't strong enough to get out of bed yet." Said a voice from the corner of his room. The sudden voice had caught Kakashi by surprise, and he instinctively reached for a kunai, only to be given a painful reminder of his injuries.

Fighting back tears he was just able to choke out, "Oh, It is you Lord Hokage" through short, ragged breaths. Kakashi clutched his chest, waiting for his heartbeat to slow and pain to recede.

The Third Hokage chuckled quietly as he moved closer towards the bed. "I am surprised you weren't able to sense me. If you as an S-class sensor couldn't detect me, then it should show you just how injured you are. "

"What brings you here Lord Hokage?" Kakashi asked.

"First, I would like to apologize to you for letting that match get so out of hand. I knew I shouldn't have allowed her to participate, but I let my competitive side get the better of me." Kakashi merely stared back as the Hokage continued to speak. "I also need to apologize for not realizing how much pain you were in after Minato died. I should have realized that even though you are a strong ninja, you are still just a boy who was never given the proper time to grieve for your comrades."

Kakashi dropped his head sadly and stared down at his folded hands. "People die all the time as ninjas. It is an inevitable part of our job. There isn't any time to grieve. We must always look ahead to the next mission."

"Before being a ninja, we are human. Humans create and share bonds. We feel emotions. It is natural for us to miss those who are lost. We are taught to hide our emotions during our missions, but that is only possible if we feel all of them while we are at peace. Finding that balance makes you a better human, and a better ninja."

Kakashi could feel his tears running down his face. How long had it been since someone said it was ok for him to feel? But did he even want to feel? So many emotions flooded through him that he was no longer able to tell what he wanted and finally broke down, sobbing three years worth of hidden emotions out. When Kakashi managed to calm down the Third Hokage continued, "There are still a few more matters that need to be discussed. How would you feel about joining the main branch of the ANBU that works directly under me?"

"Would you be willing to accept me, a member of the sullied ROOT division?" Kakashi asked.

"Sullied? I wouldn't call you sullied, rather a ninja unlike any other. You jumped right back into battle before you were ready, and even in that vulnerable state you were able to complete missions, even your superiors couldn't hope to accomplish. You pushed aside all your own needs for the good of the village. So don't for a second, disregard your greatness." Replied the Third Hokage.

Kakashi bowed his head in respect, and relief. "I most humbly accept and thank you, Lord Hokage." Kakashi sobbed. He still hadn't forgiven himself for his inability to protect his friends, but at least the world didn't look quite so dark anymore.


	5. Chapter 5: Annoying Woman

**Chapter 5: Annoying Woman**

_Thirteen Years Ago…_

It had been about a month that Kakashi had been stuck in the hospital. Outwardly he looked healed and felt fine doing everyday tasks, however the hospital still refused to release him on account of his internal injuries to his chakra last attack delivered by the kunoichi during their match had managed to freeze his chakra network completely making it impossible for Kakashi to even muster the slightest bit of chakra. _So this is what it feels like to be a normal human. Damn that kunoichi. _

As if on cue the small ninja hopped through Kakashi's hospital window. "Hey there Kakashi! You are starting to look among the living again!"

_Tch. Speak of the pest. _"Haven't I told you a million times already that I don't want you anywhere near me?" he groaned.

"You sure have. In all different ways, with all sorts of adjectives. By the way, have I told you that you have quite the impressive talent with words?" she chuckled.

_She is clearly not taking me seriously, _thought Kakashi to himself. _Why does she insist on coming everyday? I supposed I could just ignore her, but that idiot probably would see it as me finally accepting her….Aaaah! I don't know what I should do. Annoying woman. She is just as bad as Guy! _For a second time that day, as if it were planned the person Kakashi had been thinking about (and hoping to avoid) popped through the open hospital window.

"WOMAN! What are you doing next to my rival again?!" yelled Guy, pointing an accusatory finger at the Kunoichi sitting by Kakashi's bed.

"Oh hey Guy! I was wondering when you were going to reveal yourself!" smiled the small ninja as she waved over to Guy.

"What are you talking about, _revealed?"_ asked Guy a little taken back.

"Oh come on. You and I both know you have been following me since I left the dumplings store." She giggled back. "Your hiding has gotten better. Maybe one day you will be good enough to join the ANBU."

"Like I would want to join the same division Kakashi is in!" sputtered Guy. Just then a bedpan flew over and slammed into Guy's face.

"I have told you a million times, you are not to mention my specific position Guy!" Kakashi fumed.

"That was cruel Kakashi! What if that bedpan had been used? You could have damaged my handsome face!" Guy whined.

"Handsome is not a word that I would ever associate with you, you eyebrow freak!" Kakashi spat back.

Just then, the all but forgotten kunoichi burst out into laughter, shocking both Kakashi and Guy back into the situation at hand. "You two…really are…the best of friends… aren't you?" she managed to choke out between fits of laughter.

Kakashi quickly averted his angry glare from Guy, clearly embarrassed. Guy on the other hand looked completely ecstatic. "I am so glad someone finally understands the hot blooded passion that flows between me and my rival!" Guy gleefully cheered. "I was wrong about you mystery kunoichi. You can't be all that bad if you understand the firey bonds of youth! Now come Kakashi! Get out of this hospital bed and let us strengthen our bonds through a youthful competition of …!" Guys words were cut off by a flower vase striking him square in the center of his face.

Kakashi was wildly throwing anything that he could grab at the two noisy invaders in his room. "GET OUT YOU IDIOTS! DON'T YOU KNOW THIS IS A HOSPITAL?! TAKE YOUR RIDICULOUS SELVES AND GET OUT!" Kakashi angrily huffed. To make matters worse his stamina and strength were all but non-existent so the two were easily able to dodge his attacks, all the while laughing gleefully and joyfully making their escape out of the hospital window. Kakashi sank back onto the now bare mattress, which had been stripped of all its contents during Kakashi's throwing fit. _I am going to have to lock my window from now on if I am ever to get some peace and quiet from those two idiots. _He thought to himself. "At least with those two around life is a little more interesting." Kakashi mused out loud to himself.

"I'm glad you think that way. That shows me that you do have a will to live after all." Said a voice from the window.

Kakashi jumped, surprised at the sudden reappearance of the small ninja. Unlike her earlier joyful demeanor, the aura around her now radiated a feeling of warmth and kindness. Kakashi was a taken aback at the abrupt change, and was unsure how to respond. He finally managed to stammer, "Annoying woman, what are you doing back here?"

"I just wanted to see how you were doing, and I came here to drop off these." She said as she placed a basket of pears on the foot of the bed. "I noticed that you always eat the ones I leave, and they are a good source of vitamins so you can heal quicker." She jumped back on to the windowsill before she looked back and said, "I will come back and visit you tomorrow. Oh, and by the way, my name is Yue not _Annoying woman_."

With that said she disappeared from his windowsill without so much as giving Kakashi a chance to respond. "I will lock my window and door so you cant!" Kakashi shouted at the now vacant windowsill. "Annoying woman!"

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Today's music muse: Gives you Hell by the All American Rejects

-On a side note. For some reason my stories have been losing words or complete sentences when I publish them, so if suddenly you find a part that mysteriously cuts off, or has a wacky transition...blame the website. -_-


	6. Chapter 6: The Mission

**Chapter 6: The Mission**

_Present Day_

*CAW-CAW* *CAW-CAW* crowed a bird from the sky. Kakashi glanced out the window and was surprised to see the sun already well overhead. _Damn! I got lost in my memories again. I'm going to get quite an earful from the teams when I get there. Now which excuse will I use this time? Black cat? No I have already used that one. Hmm. What to do, what to do?_ Kakashi quickly made his way toward the village gates, taking a mental note that his reminiscing was starting to get worse, therefore he was beginning to be later and later to his meet up times. With a quick farewell glance at the empty house he charged full speed ahead ready for the mission at hand.

"KAKASHI SENSEI YOU'RE LATE!" Yelled Naruto and Sakura in unison.

"What the hell Kakashi? You are even worse at keeping time than you were before." Sasuke scoffed.

"KAKASHI! Because you were so late this counts as a victory for me!" bellowed Guy.

"NICE INSIGHT GUY SENSEI!" cheered Lee.

"I am glad you took your time. It's not at all as if any of us were bothered by your irresponsible lateness or anything." Sai said with one of his trademark awkward smiles.

_I am clearly not getting any respect here. All well, I guess this time I do deserve that, _he thought to himself. Quickly clearing his throat he began, "Now that we are all here I will explain the mission." Kakashi ignored a jeering remark from Naruto and continued on. "Team Kakashi, and Team Guy have been assigned the task of locating, and inspecting all of Orochimaru's secret hideouts. We will form smaller units upon entering a hideout. Neji, Sai, Sasuke, and myself will be the advance team. We will go in first. Neji and Sai will act as our sensors while Sasuke and I will investigate and disarm any traps. Guy, Naruto, and Lee will be the second wave. After the investigation of the hideout is complete, the second wave is in charge of destroying the hideout. With Guy and Lee's super strength, and Naruto with his explosive jutsu's, I can't think of a better team for this duty. That leaves Tenten and Sakura to guard on the outside. Tenten will be stationed at a distance hidden to intercept any possible attackers from long distance. Sakura will be stationed inside the entrance. That way, if any enemies get through Tenten's defenses Sakura with her enormous power will be able to take them out one at a time, or collapse the entrance to prevent them from getting in. We know that Orochimaru always built a second passage way out of his hideouts so should the entrance need to be collapsed then Neji and Sai will continue out the second passageway to provide back up to Tenten and Sakura. This mission is going to be a very long mission. Now, are there any questions before we leave?"

"Uhh…Can I get you to write that down or something for me?" asked Naruto. For the first time ever Kakashi was grateful for Sakura's violent tendencies, because a fist to Naruto's face later, and they were finally off on their mission.

~~~~~~~~~Today's musical muse…Farewell by Avantasia


	7. Chapter 7: Life on the Road

**Chapter 7: Life on the Road**

It had been about seven months since the teams had set off on their mission. With Sasuke's cooperation it had made their task much easier than they had anticipated. Sasuke was good at anticipating where Orochimaru may have built other hideouts that he had never been to before, and was very familiar with the traps Orochimaru used.

The teamwork had become absolutely flawless. Team Guy and Team Kakashi's teamwork had always been good, but after many months working together you could say that the teams were working in complete unison, as if they were reading each other's thoughts and actions before they were even executed.

Yes, you could say that the mission, thus far, had gone without a hitch. Well, almost without a hitch. The only episode to tarnish their otherwise perfect run happened about three months into their mission. At Guy's strong insistence the boys and girls were separated into different tents. This left the boys little room to move, and a very annoyed Tenten.

"Neji and I are a couple now! We should be able to share the same tent!" griped Tenten.

"Even more of a reason now why we can't let you two be in the same tent. The fiery passion of youth may overwhelm you!" Guy gasped. In the end, Guy got his way until many sleepless nights later, and listening to the same complaints of unfairness by Tenten caused Sakura to go on an all-out rampage till Guy relented and let Sakura and Neji switch places. Since then there had been no complaints about unfairness, and only the occasional complaint was heard regarding the acrobatics that took place in Neji and Tenten's tent every night.

Nighttime had fallen and Kakashi sat back, perched in a tree gazing at the moon. Ever since the "tent incident" Kakashi had taken to trees as a place of rest rather than in the crowded tent. Below him the usual banter between Naruto, Sai, and Sasuke could be heard. Kakashi had grown accustomed to the usual banter and found that he was quite adept at ignoring it now. What amused him most was that Saskue and Sai had formed an unspoken tag team to tease Naruto. As night time crept on the bickering died down, and all that was left to be heard was the silence of the night, disrupted only by the noises coming from the couples tent.

Midnight arrived and Tenten and Sakura emerged from their tents to take their turns on guard duty. "You know," Kakashi said "It's not really my place to tell you what you can or cannot do in your free time, but we are on a mission and a unplanned pregnancy could, should I say, make matters a little more difficult."

Tenten gave an embarrassed squeak as she blushed bright red and looked the opposite direction. "SEXUAL HARASSMENT KAKASHI SENSEI!" Yelled Sakura as she chucked a rock at Kakashi.

"Take it easy. I am just saying that they need to be careful, not that they need to quit their, _private_ activities." Kakashi said as he dodged the rock. With no further arguments, Sakura huffed away to her post as Tenten embarrassedly made her way to her post. Kakashi chuckled to himself. _These kids are old enough to start having families of their own now huh? I guess I am getting pretty old now. _Kakashi settled back into his comfy tree bed and fell asleep, thinking about the woman he wished he could have built a family with.


	8. Chapter 8: Infiltrating the Hideout

**Chapter 8: Infiltrate the Lighting Hideout **

The first light of morning crept over the horizon waking Kakashi from his sleep. Kakashi found that sleeping in a tree was actually quite cozy, but was definitely not the place to sleep if one is a late riser. Kakashi stretched out his stiff muscles and looked below to see Lee and Guy already immersed in their morning exercises. _Those two are still just as lively as ever, _Kakashi mused to himself.

Kakashi leapt lightly from his tree and began to look through his pack for a map. "Guy, we better finalize the last details of todays investigation. Lee, can you go get Sasuke for me?" Lee hurried to the tent to wake Sasuke while Kakashi and Guy began to run through the details of the day. "We are currently on the northern border of the Land of Lightning. If Sasuke's information was right, we should find another hideout just ten miles north west of where we are now."

"Is there any intel on possible enemies in the area?" Guy asked.

"The information received from Lady Hokage states that Lord Raikage has given his personal assurance that the northern border is completely safe and under twenty-four hour surveillance by a special guard squad, but we still need to be careful." Kakashi replied.

"I wouldn't put much stock in the Raikage's words." Sasuke grumbled as he emerged from the tent. "I know for a fact that Orochimaru used the abandoned island just past the border as a rally point for his rogue ninja allies. I wouldn't be surprised if they still use it."

"In that case we need to warn Lord Raikage then." Guy said.

"No, if we attacked the island before we investigate, one of the rogues will surely be sent first to destroy all evidence in the hideout while we are preoccupied trying to fight them. It is better to investigate first, then tell Lord Raikage about the island." Sasuke argued.

"If you knew about the rogues why didn't you mention it to Lord Raikage when we first entered the Lighting country?" Guy asked angrily.

"There is no way the Raikage would have let us anywhere near this area if I had." Sasuke sighed. "He would have sent us away for sure."

"But ever since the war we have the trust of the Raikage. He would have let us check after they eradicated the enemy." Lee chimed in.

"Don't tell me you really are as stupid as you look." came a voice from behind. Everyone turned to see Sai standing right behind them. "The alliance was for the war only. Now that Madara has been defeated, every village has their own interests in mind."

Lee angrily spat back, "But the peace agreement between all villages still stands. We may be loyal to our own villages, but there is a bond that was formed between us through our fists passionately fighting together."

"Ridiculous idealism from a ridiculous idiot." Groaned Sasuke. "We would be fools to completely trust the other villages, just as they would be in trusting us completely. Just because we fought as allies doesn't mean we will be allies forever. When it comes down to it, every village is for themselves."

"That is not true!" Yelled Lee. "Everyone knows that risking your life with each other creates inseparable bonds!"

"Nonsense." Sai scoffed. "Sasuke is right. The Raikage has always been one for underhanded tactics. Are you forgetting the Hyuga instance?"

"That was settled a long time ago!" shouted Lee.

"Alright you boys, settle down now." Guy piped in. "We will leave it to our leader to decide whether or not we will inform the Raikage. Kakashi what do you think?" Kakashi made absolutely no sign that he had heard Guy, and instead looked completely absent from the conversation. "Kakashi? Did you hear what I said? Kakashi?" Annoyed by his lack of response Guy walked right up and began to shake Kakashi by the shoulders. "Kakashi you jerk pay attention when I am talking to you!"

"What? Oh, sorry Guy. What did you say?" Kakashi stuttered as he was dragged back into the conversation.

"I asked you whether you think we should inform the Raikage about the rogue ninja island or not!" Guy huffed.

"I agree with Sasuke. I think we need to investigate the hideout before we tell Lord Raikage about the rogue ninja on the island." Kakashi answered. "It's settled. We need to wake the rest and head out. Lee, you and Sai go gather ingredients for breakfast. Sasuke you go wake the others, have them bring their supplies over to Guy and me so we can take inventory. We will head out in approximately one hour."

With the debate settled everyone set out on their own personal assignments. Guy and Kakashi checked through all the supplies. "What was that all about Kakashi?" asked Guy. "It's not like you to zone out while we are planning a mission. Do you know something about that island?"

"No, it's…nothing to worry about." Kakashi said. Seeing that Guy didn't believe him at all he sighed and continued. "That abandoned island is where the Light Village once was."

Instant recognition swept over Guy and he sadly went back to counting supplies. "Oh, I see." He said. "So that was Yue's village huh?" Kakashi gave a small grunt back in response. "You aren't fooling anyone you know. The reason you are always late is because you are visiting her home isn't it? How long are you going to beat yourself up over that mission? Isn't it time you forgave yourself? Yue would be furious at you if she knew you were holding on to the past."

"I wont ever let it go." Kakashi replied. "It serves as my reminder to always protect those I care about." Guy sadly shook his head but didn't question Kakashi further. Kakashi quickly handed back the supplies having done a thorough check through them.

An hour later with everyone packed and ready to go, the team set out towards the hideout. Sasuke's instincts proved to have been correct as the team found evidence of ninja in the area near the hideout. They managed to capture a lone ninja and began to interrogate him. "Why did you come back to this place?" Sasuke asked the ninja.

"I received word that I was to attend an R-alliance meeting back at the island." He answered.

"If the meeting is at the island, then what are you doing skulking around Orochimaru's hideout?" Kakashi pressed.

"Word is Orochimaru hid all sorts of treasures he uncovered after the ninja war. If I could get my hands on some of it then I could buy my freedom and forgiveness back from my village. I wouldn't have to be a rogue-nin any more." He sighed.

"Who else knows about the meeting? How many people are there? Tell me everything you know!" Sasuke demanded.

"Due to the Fourth Great war our numbers were reduced to twenty. As far as I know the whole alliance is already at the island. I wanted to be the last one to arrive so I could get my hands on the treasure without being caught. The meeting is supposed to last a couple of days though. Orochimaru himself is said to be the person who called for the meeting." The captured ninja said.

"If what this ninja says is true that means this hideout is probably in use right now, which means it will be even more tricky than all the other ones we have encountered." Guy said.

"It also means that we only have about two hours at most to investigate and we need to come up with a new plan." said Kakashi. "Time is of the essence. I will send my ninja hounds ahead to investigate the outside of the hideout. Sasuke, Guy and I will figure out our new strategy. Neji, you take Naruto and the rest ahead to the hide out with you and secure the outside of the hideout. I also want you to use your Byakugan to search the hide out. I don't want you to enter the hideout until we have caught up with you. If you run into enemy ninjas send up this flare. Now move!" The team jumped into action as Guy, Sasuke, and Kakashi created a new strategy for the investigation.

As soon as they caught up to the rest of the team they explained the new formation. Neji, Lee, Sakura, and Tenten would remain outside incase of attack while Naruto, Sasuke, Guy, Sai, and Kakashi would enter the hideout to investigate. The five each would head to their own designated wing to investigate. Once their investigation was complete they were to destroy their designated area and rejoin the rest outside.

Once the explanation was completed the infiltrating ninja headed into the hideout while those stationed outside took up their positions.

Kakashi headed towards the north wing of the hideout. Kakashi checked room after room and was unable to find any information. Everything had gone smoothly so far and Kakashi began to have a bad feeling that something major was in store due to the lack of traps encountered so far. As if to prove him right a huge explosion was heard, followed by a violent rumble that caused the floor of the hideout to shake dangerous. Kakashi had to brace himself to keep from falling over as he strained to pinpoint the location of the sound. _That sound came from the western wing. That's where Sai is. I need to go faster! _Suddenly a loud hiss could be heard and Kakashi barely had time to acknowledge a wall lined with paper bombs before they exploded.


	9. Chapter 9: Save Yourself

**Chapter 9: Save Yourself**

_I'm alive. _Was the first thing Kakashi thought when he regained consciousness. All around him he could see dust clouds slowly settling, and huge pieces of earth and brick lying around him. Kakashi was dangerously close to passing out again, but he knew he needed to move quickly. Two explosions was more than enough to draw the attention of the rogue ninja at the abandoned island, and if Orochimaru was there he wouldn't hesitate to drop everything and send a team to check on the hideout. Kakashi couldn't afford to wait. He had to quickly meet up with the team and retreat.

Kakashi managed to slowly drag himself to his feet only to topple back down again. It was then for the first time that he realized he couldn't feel his left leg at all. He quickly assessed the rest of his physical condition, avoiding looking at his left leg. The worst injury he sustained was a broken right arm. Other than that he was full of lots of cuts and bruises.

Kakashi cautiously looked down to his left leg, praying that it was still there. To his relief his leg was still there, however a deep laceration left his bone visible, and he was sure some of the nerves had been damaged, which would explain why he couldn't feel it. Sighing in relief Kakashi quickly bandaged the wound and willed his body to move forward.

Kakashi painfully made his way towards the west wing. He had to make sure Sai was ok, and then the both of them needed to retreat. Kakashi wasn't sure how long he had been unconscious but at most, he figured they had about twenty minutes before they would be discovered.

Upon reaching the west wing Kakashi found a similar scene to the one he just escaped from. Huge chunks of earth, brick, and splintered wood was littering the landscape, and a huge hole had been blasted through the roof connecting them to the surface. Kakashi found an unconscious Sai lying underneath a pile of rubble. He was just able to dig him out when he head a cry from above. "Kakashi sensei! What happened? Are you ok?"

Kakashi breathed another sigh of relief. The rest of the team was jumping through the hole to help him. Sakura quickly ran over to Kakashi and began healing his leg injury, while Tenten and Guy checked on Sai. "Kakashi sensei what happened?" asked Sakura.

"I heard an explosion from the west wing so I hurried over to check on Sai, but then I got caught in a room full of paper bombs and it exploded before I could dodge." Kakashi replied. "How is everyone else?"

"They are fine. Guy and Sasuke managed to finish their wings and were helping Naruto finish his investigation. You know how careless he can be. Anyway, they heard the explosion and joined us outside since they figured the enemy would have heard it and come after us." Sakura answered.

"No other injuries though?" Kakashi asked.

"No, everyone is fine." She answered.

Kakashi felt a weight lifted off his shoulders, until he saw the concerned look on Sakura's face. "What is it?" he asked.

"Kakashi sensei. I know we need to get out of here soon, but if I don't perform surgery on your leg soon you will lose it completely. We can't move you in your current condition." She solemnly answered.

Kakashi was prepared for bad news, but this was a little more than he was expecting. After a brief pause to collect himself he said, "That is a risk we are going to have to take. We need to get out of here now before we are discovered. Naruto, I want you to take care of Sai. The rest of us need to move out. If we are attacked I want you to leave me behind and get away. Make your way to the Cloud village and send word to Lady Hokage." A loud roar of protests erupted but Kakashi quickly silenced them. "Idiots, we don't need to give the enemy any more clues to our presence. Now let's get going!" With that said everyone leapt through the hold back out into the forest. Naruto carried the unconscious Sai on his back while Guy supported Kakashi.

They had run for about ten minutes when suddenly they were ambushed by a large group of ninjas. "We can handle this Kakashi sensei." Naruto yelled as he flung the unconscious Sai into Sakura's arms. We will fight off this group, you keep going Kakashi sensei.

"No! You get out of here. I will hold them off as long as I can. You must get word back to Lady Hokage!" Kakashi ordered back.

"But sensei!" whined Naruto, Lee, and Sakura together. "You are in no condition to fight let us stay and…"

"Go!" yelled Kakashi.

"Don't worry I will be right here with Kakashi. We will make it back." Guy smiled and gave his trademark thumbs up. With reluctant glances back the rest of the team headed off once again leaving Guy and the injured Kakashi behind. "Guy this goes for you too. If things get out of hand here I want you to leave me and catch up with the rest."

"Keep your shirt on Kakashi. Have a little faith in my why don't you?" Guy smirked back. "I refuse to be outclassed by my rival."

A giant shuriken came flying at the pair which both expertly dodged. Despite his injury, Kakashi was able to ignore the pain and focus on the fight. Waves of kunai and shuriken kept raining down on Kakashi, each of which he managed to dodge. _I will not be able to keep this up much longer,_ thought Kakashi. I need to finish this now and let Guy escape. "What do you think about just calling it a draw between us? Neither of us has managed to injure the other side. Instead of pointlessly continuing how about you fellas just let us go on our way?" asked Kakashi.

"Hmph. As if we would let Kakashi the Copy Ninja get away from us. Do you know how valuable your head is? We could make a fortune off of killing you."

"Oh, little old me can't really be worth that much. Come on guys, lets just call it quits now." Kakashi negotiated.

"Hah! You talk big but we can see that you are already half bled dry already." Scoffed one of the rogue-nin.

It was true. Kakashi felt extremely weak due to the blood loss but he wasn't about to let the enemy know that. He had to finish it, now! "Don't say I didn't try." Kakashi raised his broken right arm into the air. "Lightning blade!" His whole arm was engulfed in his chakra and he poised himself, ready for his final blow. Kakashi charged right into the enemy lines, taking out three ninja as he ran. The fourth ninja he took down, managed to stab Kakashi with his kunai just before falling to the ground dead. Kakashi's leg gave out on him and as he sunk to the ground he yelled, "Guy, Run!"

Guy took down two more ninjas before he managed to tear himself away from Kakashi and get away. _Go Guy,_ Kakashi thought. _This is the end for me, but you must protect the rest. _Darkness was starting to close in around Kakashi as he was able to make out the remaining ninja closing in on him. _Rin. Obito. Sensei. Did I do the right thing? _Kakashi thought as he slipped further into darkness.

As the last bits of light we fading from his eyes, Kakashi was just able to make out a hooded ninja slaying his approaching enemies before they made their way over to him. With one last breath he managed to get out, "Yue" before the darkness took him.


	10. Chapter 10: A Surprise Intruder

**Chapter 10: A Surprise Intruder**

_Thirteen Years Ago…_

The day of his discharge from the hospital had finally come. True to her word, Yue had come to visit him nearly every day at the hospital. Kakashi looked for her to show up and congratulate him, but of all the days for her to skip, she chose this one. _Damn that woman. As if I was really hoping she would congratulate me. Good riddance to that pest I say. Now she can't force her company on me, because I'm not trapped in a hospital room anymore, _he grumbled to himself. This had been the day he was waiting for, and yet for some reason he was in a terrible mood.

Kakashi angrily huffed off towards the Hokage's mansion to give an update on his current condition. Kakashi knocked on the door to the Hokage's office where he was greeted with a pleasant, "Come in." The Hokage was sitting at his desk reading over a pile of papers, but stopped to give Kakashi a warm smile when he saw who it was. "Ah, Kakashi. I'm glad to see you out of the hospital now. How are you feeling?"

"I am doing well now sir." Kakashi bowed. "I am almost back to full power, and my chakra network has been repaired."

"You were really fortunate my lad. I can't tell you how relieve I am." Said the Third. "Yue will be relieved to hear that as well."

At the mention of her name he felt a slight twinge at his heart, which reminded him once again at his annoyance with her. "I hardly think that annoying woman…I mean Yue will care." Kakashi icily responded.

The Third Hokage chuckled. "That's not the impression I get. She has been here every day harassing me about finding my old pupil Tsunade to heal you. She was quite worried about you."

For some reason this made Kakashi slightly happier. "Well obviously we didn't need to go to such lengths seeing as I am just fine now. She underestimates me." Kakashi answered.

"Rather than underestimating you, she was just concerned about you." More happiness came at these words and Kakashi felt himself smiling just a little. "Well my boy I want you to take one more week to rest and then I will slowly ease you back into work." Just as Kakashi was about to protest the Third cut him off and continued, "Please humor this old man. I don't want to force you in to anything before you are ready again."

When the Hokage explained it like that Kakashi couldn't argue with him. Instead he bowed and took his leave from the office, feeling considerably better than when he arrived. On a rare whim he decided to stop by the dumpling store on his way home where he ran into his fellow classmates Guy, Asuma, and Kurenai.

"Kakashi! Congratulations on being released from the hospital!" Kurenai smiled.

"Welcome back to the world of the living." Asuma winked. "So the old man have you working for him already?"

"No, he sidelined me for another week." Kakashi mumbled as he took a seat at the booth and ordered.

"Kakashi! I challenge you to a dumpling-eating contest. The loser has to pay!" Guy shouted.

"Why not?" said Kakashi, much to the surprise of Kurenai and Asuma.

"Seriously Kakashi?" Asked Kurenai. "You are unusually compliant today."

"Agreed." Said Asuma. "What's the occasion? Are you in a good mood or something?"

"It is because he has finally accepted the flaming passion of youth that comes from a competition!" gushed Guy.

"No, it's more like I was eating dumplings anyway and he would bother me until I said yes." Said Kakashi. He was slightly embarrassed that his good mood had actually pushed him into being excited for the contest. Fortunately for him Asuma and Kurenai seemed to buy his excuse.

Eight servings of dumplings later and Kakashi emerged victorious. "I give!" whimpered Guy.

Kakashi threw his last empty stick down with a proud flourish. "Well that was a good way to waste some time, and I got a free meal out of it." Said Kakashi as he exited the shop. "Thanks for the dumplings Guy."

A week later Kakashi was assigned to his first job since his release from the hospital. Kakashi couldn't help but feel disappointed as he was assigned sentry duty at the gate. Apparently the Third really was going to slowly ease Kakashi back into his work.

This also meant that it had been more than a week since he had seen Yue. He told himself that he was glad she wasn't bothering him anymore, but as each day passed without any sign of her he grew a little crabbier.

Sentry duty turned out to be just as boring as Kakashi imagined it would be. All day he watched the front gate taking names, checking passes, and inspecting goods coming into the city. His terrible mood seemed to get worse and worse as the hours ticked by, and he was quickly dubbed, the "Crabby gate guy" by the local children. Finally his replacement came and he grumpily trudged back home. _What a boring job. Lord Third can't seriously be planning on keeping me here for a whole week can he?_ He thought to himself.

As Kakashi grumpily entered his house the hair on the back of his neck suddenly stood out straight. There was someone inside his house. Kakashi carefully reached for a kunai knife and stealthily entered into his home. _Someone must have a death wish if they think they can ambush me in my own home,_ he thought to himself. As he rounded the corner he could hear noises coming from his kitchen. Kakashi poised himself, ready to attack.

As he charged into his kitchen he barely had enough time to register who the intruder was before he came to a clumsy halt. "YOU! WHAT THE HELL DO YOU THINK YOU ARE DOING IN MY KITCHEN!" Kakashi yelled.

Standing at his stove was none other than Yue. "Welcome home Kakashi! How was sentry duty?" she asked cheerfully.

Kakashi wasn't sure whether he was relieved or angry. Part of him was relieved at seeing her alive, but the other part of him was furious. Furious at her for not coming to congratulate him, furious at her for disappearing without a word, and furious at her for breaking into his house. There were so many thoughts rumbling around in his head that Kakashi only managed a comical sound effect in reply.

"That fun huh?" She asked, clearly trying not to laugh at him. "I didn't get to congratulate you on your release from the hospital, so I figured I would make you a meal to congratulate you now!" she smiled.

Kakashi looked around his kitchen and was surprised to find a feast spread out all over his table. "So you thought you would break into my house to do this?" Kakashi finally managed to stutter.

"I didn't break in at all. The nice granny next door to you let me in. She had a spare key. She was quite excited to see you had a friend coming over here actually." She continued, completely ignoring his flustered expression. "I guess you have never had anyone over to visit before huh?"

"That's none of your business." Kakashi sighed. Arguing with this girl was no use, and even though he would never tell her, he was secretly pleased that she was the first person ever to visit his house. "Are you cooking for an army? How on earth are we supposed to eat all this food?"

Yue chuckled a little. "I guess I got kind of carried away. I was having fun trying all sorts of dishes, and before I knew it, I had already made all of this. This way you will have leftovers right? I noticed that you have a sad lack of food in your kitchen by the way."

"I don't suppose you will leave and take all this with you if I tell you to would you?" Kakashi asked.

"You suppose right. I am not leaving until I see you eat a proper meal, nor will I be taking this food with me. I am leaving all this food here, and you will eat every bit of it." She replied. "Not eating it would be considered horrible manners to the chef."

"And breaking into peoples houses isn't?" mumbled Kakashi under his breath as he took a seat at his table. "Well if I have to eat this, then you have to help me. There is no way I can actually eat all of this myself."

Yue smiled and took a seat opposite of him. She raised her glass and said, "To Kakashi, and congratulations on your full recovery and discharge from the hospital."

Kakashi clinked his glass to hers and began eating. Much to his surprise the food was delicious despite a couple of the dished looking absolutely inedible. As he was finally starting to feel full he looked over to Yue and asked her the question that had been on his mind for a while. "Where did you disappear to for all this time?"

"I had a mission." She answered. True to her ANBU nature she didn't offer any other details, and Kakashi knew better than to push.

"Then answer a different question for me instead." Kakashi asked. "Who exactly are you? I have never seen you before, and a ninja of your skill would not have gone unnoticed in our village even if you are part of the ANBU."

Yue looked thoughtful for a minute before answering, "You are right. I'm not from the village originally. I'm from the Light village, a small village on an island just past the border of the Lighting Country. My grandfather was saved by Lord Third so he promised to send a member of my clan to Konoha as a sort of thanks and alliance with the village. You see, the members of my village have a very unique chakra nature that he felt would come in handy for the Third."

Kakashi quietly listened to her explanation. "So what is this special chakra nature, or is it a secret?" asked Kakashi.

"It's not a secret exactly." Yue paused. "Rather, it is something we don't often share about ourselves because we have always been the target of other nations who wanted to use our powers for gain." Kakashi silently watched her, waiting for further explanation. "I don't mind telling you actually." She said. "I don't have a combination of chakra natures like normal ninjas do. Instead I have one nature that is called the Elemental Chakra nature. This means that I am able to use all the chakra natures, in any sort of combination I choose."

Kakashi was taken aback. "So that means the final attack you hit me with in our duel was…"

"Yes, it was a combo attack of air, water, and ice mixed together…sorry about that." She said, looking a little upset.

Kakashi was lost for words, and the house had gone very silent. Finally he managed to say, "Now I understand why I lost. I was way too arrogant. So if I understand you correctly you came from your village as the treaty between the two villages?"

At these words Yue suddenly looked a little sad. "No, I wasn't supposed to be the treaty person at all. The Akatsuki attacked my village when I was just a little girl and killed everyone, including the person who was supposed to be sent. I managed to stay alive because my mother snuck me off the island during their rampage. I was found on the shore by a leaf ninja who happened to be out there on a mission for the Third. He brought me back here to the village and his wife raised me in secret."

"Why would they have to raise you in secret? Did the Akatsuki know you escaped?" asked Kakashi.

"That's not it at all. Lord Hokage knew right away where I came from, and he knew Danzo would be after my power so they raised me as if I were a normal orphan. The only thing that happened in secret was my ninja training. If I was enrolled at the academy Danzo would have found me right away, so they trained me away from Danzo's prying eyes." She answered.

Kakashi was amazed by her story and found that he wanted to know more about this curious ninja. Just as he was about to ask her for more details she suddenly stood up. "Is that the time?!" she gasped. "I was supposed to report back in an hour ago! I have to go!" In an instant she was up out of her chair and rushing towards the door. "Now don't forget, I expect you to eat ALL of this food!" she said as she rushed out the door.

"She really is unpredictable" Kakashi said to himself as he watched her disappear from his doorway. Chuckling to himself he began to pack away the food and clean up his kitchen. The dinner with her was surprisingly enjoyable, and now that she was gone his house felt larger and quieter than it ever had before. For the first time in a long while Kakashi felt extremely lonely sitting alone in his house. _Maybe I will invite some other people over to my house sometime, _he mused. _Just maybe._


	11. Chapter 11:Mystery Ninja Nil

**Chapter 11: Nil**

_Present Day: _

Darkness. Cold, desolate, darkness. Kakashi couldn't see anything, couldn't hear anything, or feel anything. A complete, empty, existence drowned out only by the dark that accompanied him. _Does this mean I'm dead? Is this what death feels like? An infinite lonely, isolated world?_

Suddenly a faint humming could be heard. _Great, now there's an annoying humming. You think I'd catch a break in death. I guess not. _The humming began to get louder. _Stop that. Can't you let me be dead in peace?_ He thought to himself. The humming continued to grow louder, this time accompanied with a sharp, painful shock through his body that felt much like he had been struck by lighting. Every nerve in his body was sending out painful signals, informing Kakashi of the damage his body had sustained. _Death can't be this painful. I must be somewhere between life and death._ Kakashi wanted to run. Runaway from the excruciating pain that he felt. He was ready to be dead if that meant he could escape the pain. Instead he felt something warm touch his forehead and was just able to decipher the humming in his head.

"Kakashi, are you there?" said the humming in his head. "You need to wake up. You need to keep fighting." Kakashi tried to open his eyes. The humming had stopped, only to be replaced by a voice that he was finding to be equally as annoying as the humming had been. "Hello? Are you there? You need to get up!" _So annoying! Leave me alone! _Thought Kakashi. "Listen here you lazy bum! Somewhere in that head I know you can hear me. You need to get up! I can sit here and nag all day if that is what it takes!"

Kakashi had just about had it with the unknown strangers voice. Out of sheer stubbornness, and the hopes to get them to shut up, he managed to croak out a small, "Shut up."

A delighted gasp could be heard followed by a relieved voice that said, "You're awake! I knew you wouldn't let it end like this."

"Where am I?" Kakashi managed to say. His dry throat tasted like blood and was making it very hard for him to speak.

"You're safe. That's all you should be worried about right now." Said the unknown voice.

Kakashi slowly opened his eyes, allowing his eyes to adjust to the light in the room. "Like hell that is all I should be worried about. Who are you? Why are you helping me?" he asked. He could just make out the blurry form of a person sitting beside him.

"That's what I was going to ask you." Said the stranger's voice. "Do you know who you are?"

_What an annoying person_, thought Kakashi. "Of course I know who I am. Now why are you helping me?" he demanded.

"Why do you think I am helping you?" the stranger asked

"Is there anyone else here?" Kakashi inquired.

"Does it matter if there is anyone else here?" replied the stranger.

Kakashi was finally able to clearly see the stranger by his bed, only to be met with disappointment at the mask that was covering their face. The annoying way the person answered a question with a question was slightly reminiscent to Kakashi, but now was not the time for him to try and recall old faces. He needed to figure out what was happening now. He slowly analyzed his surroundings. His ninja tools were in a basket by the door. That would be helpful to him, once he was strong enough to move his own body. At the far end of the room he was just able to make out another bed. He couldn't see who was on the bed due to it being partially covered by a curtain. _Is this some sort of hospital?_ Kakashi thought to himself. "How did you find me?" Kakashi asked.

"Well how do you think I found you?" came an amused response.

"Stop answering my questions with a question!" Kakashi huffed. The stranger only chuckled at him. Kakashi tried to sit up only to be quickly pushed back by the stranger.

"Take it easy Kakashi. You are just barely in one piece right now. If you move, you are going to lose that leg of yours for good." Said the stranger as they gently pushed Kakashi back down. "Do you know how hard I worked to save your leg? It would be completely rude to the person who worked so hard to undo everything they did by being too impatient."

"What's rude is not answering a persons question." griped Kakashi. "What kind of doctor intentionally agitates their patients? Some bedside manner."

"Who said I was a doctor?" Giggled the stranger as they changed the towel on Kakashi's head. "Looks like cool Kakashi Hatake isn't as cool as the rumors say he is huh?"

"You know who I am, so isn't it fair that I know who you are?" Asked Kakashi.

"That's not how the world works I'm afraid." Snickered the stranger. "Just this once though I will humor you. You are currently in an underground hideout on the abandoned island. I rescued you from those rogue ninja that had surrounded you in the forest. Why did I help you? I had my reasons. Yes, there are other people here, including your comrade over there that needs a lesson or two in social etiquette. A product of the ROOT division if I've ever seen one." Said the stranger.

_Just who is this person? How do they know about the ROOT division? How did they get a hold of Sai?_ Thought Kakashi. Pushing those concerns aside for now Kakashi said, "You still haven't told me who you are though."

"True. But I answered many of your other questions so we are even now." Said the stranger. "Most people call me Nil, so for now, that is the closest thing to an identity you can have. Now you better relax. Your comrades have been very worried about you."

Just as Nil finished the team came bursting through the door. "Nil-san, is Kakashi sensei awake yet?" asked Naruto.

"He just woke up." Nil replied.

"Kakashi sensei! You're alive!" Naruto and Lee cheered.

"Took you long enough sensei!" Sakura sniffed. "Do you know how much trouble you caused Nil-san? I told you your leg couldn't handle it, but did you listen to me? You just had to go and be the hero!"

"You've looked better." Scoffed Sasuke.

"Your not a spring chicken anymore sensei. You need to think more before you act." Lectured Tenten. Neji silently nodded behind her.

_I've clearly lost any respect I ever had, _Kakashi sighed to himself as Sakura helped him into a sitting position. During all the commotion Nil had managed to slip out unnoticed. "So what exactly happened? How did we all end up here together?" Asked Kakashi.

"Guy sensei managed to catch up to us and said that you had fallen." Said Tenten.

"Naruto and Sasuke practically threw a huge fit saying that we needed to go back and save you. Lee and Neji tried to stop them, but since Lee was carrying Sai, they managed to sneak past them." Sakura explained.

"Sasuke and Naruto had broken away and were headed back into the forest when this big ninja suddenly blocked their path. He said that his partner had managed to save Kakashi and that we should follow him back to their hideout on the abandoned island." Explained Lee.

"And you just went with him?" Kakashi said, letting out an exasperated groan. "Did you consider that it may have been a trap?"

Guy who had been uncharacteristically quiet in the corner of the room suddenly walked over to Kakashi and slapped him across the face. "Sensei!" gasped the ninja together.

"What do you think you are doing Guy sensei? Kakashi sensei is injured!" yelled Sakura.

Kakashi was shocked and looked up into Guys very hurt, and emotional eyes. "Of course we thought it was a trap you jerk!" yelled Guy. "But if that meant we could get you back, we were willing to risk it!" After yelling at him, Guy angrily stormed out of the room.

"Please forgive him Kakashi sensei." Lee said sadly. "Guy sensei was very worried about you. I have never seen him so upset before."

Kakashi looked at the door Guy had just left through, touched by Guy's earnestness. Sure Guy was hard to handle sometimes, but that didn't change the fact that he was one of the people Kakashi trusted most. "So what else happened?" asked Kakashi as he made a mental note to apologize to Guy later.

"Well we all thought it was probably a trap, but we followed the big guy anyway." Continued Naruto. "He led us to this boat where we met Nil-san who was already there patching up your leg. You were a real mess, Kakashi sensei."

"Anyway, they brought us to this base that is underground on the abandoned island." Neji continued. "Apparently Nil and San, that's the ninja who led us here, have been stationed here on a secret mission for sometime. They have apparently been on a secret mission for a many years now."

"Were you able to find out anything else about them?" asked Kakashi.

"Unfortunately no." said Tenten. "I don't think they are a threat to us though."

"What makes you think that?" asked Kakashi.

"I dunno, but I think we can trust them." Said Naruto. "It's just this feeling I get."

Kakashi had learned to trust in Naruto's feelings so he let his worries go for now. He was beginning to feel very tired again after the intense emotional rollercoaster ride he had been on that morning. With a few last well wishes the rest of the team left so Kakashi could rest. Kakashi laid back in his pillows and thought about the events that had happened, trying to make sense of the whole situation. Something about Nil and San just didn't seem right to Kakashi. Why were they stationed on an abandoned island? Was it because of the R-alliance meetings or was it about Orochimaru? There were so many questions left unanswered. Also there was something so familiar about this Nil person. The way Nil talked and moved, Kakashi was sure he had met Nil before, but for the life of him he couldn't remember how, or where he would have. He would definitely have to investigate this more, but for now he sank back into his pillows letting his tired body finally get the rest it so desperately needed.

~~~~~~~Today's musical muse: Zombie by the Cranberries


	12. Chapter 12: Revealed Identity

**Chapter 12: Revealed Identity**

Every night since the team had been brought to the abandoned island Kakashi had been plagued with nightmares. It was the same nightmare over and over, and tonight was no different. Kakashi woke to quite to a start, finding himself breathing heavily and covered in a cold sweat. Kakashi had to force himself to relax, and felt his heart rate slowly descend back to its normal pace. _I need to get off this island soon. If I don't it's going to drive me mad, _he thought to himself as he drug his body to a sitting position. The room was still dark so Kakashi figured it was sometime in the early morning.

Kakashi fumbled around in the dark for his crutches. He had made a miraculous recovery in the time they had spent on the island, under the care of Sakura and Nil. The only thing left to heal was his leg, which was proving particularly difficult to heal. Sakura and Nil had tried all sorts of herbal remedies, and Kakashi had been through numerous surgeries. He knew he should be grateful for their hard work, but at the same time he couldn't help but feel impatient. If it wasn't for his leg, the team would have left the island long ago and would be back on their mission, or even better, back home in Konoha.

Kakashi finally managed to grab a hold of his crutches and slowly hobbled towards the sink. Gulping down a large glass of water he slammed the cup on the counter, angry at his helplessness. Out of the corner of his eye he noticed a black clad figure sitting in the darkest corner of the room. "Nil!" he gasped. "Why are you always lurking in dark corners?"

"Aren't ninjas supposed to lurk in dark corners?" asked Nil. Kakashi could hear the amusement behind the question.

_This person really is hard to handle,_ Kakashi thought to himself. Everyday it was the same game. Nil would answer his questions with a question, and by the end of their conversation Kakashi always felt like he was being made fun of. These conversations always brought back a familiar sense of déjà vu to Kakashi. "Well whatever the case, what are you doing here at this hour?" asked Kakashi, as he hobbled back to his bed.

"You were yelling and thrashing in your sleep again. I came down here to make sure you didn't reinjure your leg. Do you know how much trouble that would cause?" Nil responded.

_Tch. Concerned about the work and not about the patient,_ Kakashi thought. "Believe me, more than anyone else, I would hate to reinjure this leg." Kakashi huffed back.

Kakashi was expecting another snarky remark back from Nil, but was instead surprised to hear a very calm and concerned tone. "You know, nightmares happen to the best of us. It gets better if you talk about them." Nil said. "If you ever need someone to talk about it, I will lend you an ear."

Kakashi was taken aback. "I…I don't know what you are talking about?" Kakashi managed to stammer.

Although he couldn't see Nil's face since it was behind a mask, he was sure that Nil was smiling sadly at him. "Denying it won't help you either." Nil whispered. "That will just bring you more pain."

Kakashi didn't know how to respond so he merely shrugged and plopped back down on his bed. When it was clear Kakashi wasn't going to respond Nil walked over and set a plate of pears on Kakashi's nightstand. "You should eat these pears and go back to sleep." Said Nil. "I know they are your favorite, and they are good for the body. You can just leave the plate there when you are done."

"Thank you." Replied Kakashi curtly, when he suddenly came to a realization. "Just wait a minute. In the whole time I have been here I haven't once eaten pears or mentioned that I like them, so how did you know that?" Kakashi demanded. Before he could get a response Nil had disappeared from the room. _Ok, now I really need to figure out who Nil is,_ Kakashi thought to himself.

The next few weeks Kakashi was met with an unusual lack of Nil's presence. Every time the door to his room would open he eagerly hoped for Nil to walk in, and instead was met with disappointment at the sight of another person. _Figures,_ thought Kakashi to himself. _When I don't want Nil anywhere near me, Nil is all I see. And now when I want him around, Nil is nonexistent._

On the same day that Kakashi had last spoken to Nil, Sakura came bursting into his room with a new treatment idea for Kakashi's leg. It was a risky idea, and meant Kakashi would have yet another surgery, but at this point Kakashi felt like it was his final hope. The surgery had been successful, and Kakashi could feel his leg strengthening each day. With any luck they could resume their mission in about a months time.

For the first time Kakashi felt reluctant to leave the island, as the mystery of Nil weight heavily on his mind. As the door opened once again to his room Kakashi was met with the familiar sense of disappointment as San walked into the room. Unlike Nil, San did not wear the ninja mask so despite not being the person he hoped for Kakashi had become quite accustomed to his face. San had taken over as Sakura's medical assistant, and was here again today to clean and change Kakashi's bandages.

The two ninja never spoke much. It wasn't that they disliked each other, rather they had nothing to say. Since he had been met with nothing but failure in getting information out of Nil, Kakashi decided to try his luck with San. "So how did you and Nil end up on this mission together?" Kakashi casually asked.

San looked slightly startled at the sudden question, but shrugged it off. "Nil-sama rescued me." He answered.

_Short but sweet answer huh? _Thought Kakashi. _I guess I am going to have to press a little further. _"Nil rescued you? So have you been together ever since?"

"No." answered San.

_Short again. I'm not getting anywhere with this. _"That's interesting." Mused Kakashi. "I'm finding it hard to imagine how you two ended up together."

"Nil-sama rescued me when I was just a brand new ninja. I had been captured and was about to be executed when Nil-sama jumped in to save me, even though I came from an enemy village." San replied.

"Enemy village?" asked Kakashi. "So you were touched and decided to go along with Nil then?"

"No. I ran away to protect myself. I ran into Nil-sama again two years later. I had been branded as a traitor to my village so I was living as a homeless person. I happened to cross paths with Nil-sama when I tried to ambush and steal Nil-sama's belongings. Nil-sama remembered me though, and took me in. I have been with Nil-sama since." San said.

Suddenly a voice cut into their conversation. "Whoa! I never knew Nil was such a badass. I thought he was just a weirdo who likes to dress in black all the time." Said Naruto.

"HOW DARE YOU INSULT THE GREAT NIL-SAMA!" Roared San. "NIL-SAMA IS THE STRONGEST AND MOST LOYAL NINJA IN THE WORLD! SHE HAS GIVEN UP TEN YEARS OF HER LIFE IN SERVICE OF HER VILLAGE! HOW DARE YOU CALL HER SOME BLACK CLAD FREAK!"

"Take it easy buddy!" Yelled Naruto. "I wasn't the one who called her a freak… wait, her?! Nil is a girl?!"

"ARE YOU AN IDIOT. OF COURSE NIL-SAMA IS A GIRL." Spat San. "NIL-SAMA IS THE STRONGEST NINJA OF THE HIDDEN…" San's words were cut off by Nil who had slammed San into the wall.

An eerie silence rested upon the room. San looked terrified at Nil but said no more. Naruto stood with his mouth hanging open looking back and forth between San and the suddenly present Nil, while Kakashi's gaze was solely focused on Nil.

"That temper of yours is going to be the death of me. You always say too much when you lose your cool." Nil hissed angrily. San dropped to his knees begging for Nil's forgiveness. Nil let out a sigh before turning to the now the gathered crowd in the doorway. "In case you have forgotten this is the sick ward. I want all of you to leave right now." Not a single person argued, and instead quietly made their retreat from the room. When the last person was ushered from the room, Nil closed the door and sighed heavily once more. "It's best you forget anything San just shouted. I apologize for his unsightly behavior today. It will not happen again."

Due to San's angry outburst Kakashi had managed to piece together many things. Female ninja on a mission for her village? Mission has been going for ten years? The annoying way she seems to know how I am feeling? Knowing pears were my favorite, and the weird sense of familiarity I have felt? She can't be!

Just as Nil was turning to leave the room Kakashi dove and grabbed her by the wrist, completely disregarding the angry protests coming from his healing leg. "Just what do you think you are doing?" Nil asked cautiously.

"You can't be, and yet… there's no other explanation." Said Kakashi. Inwardly Kakashi noticed the desperation in his voice, but he was beyond caring.

"You need to get off of your leg." Nil said as she drug Kakashi back to the bed.

Kakashi took advantage of Nil's divided attention as she was helping him back into his bed. With lightning fast movements Kakashi had managed to pin Nil beneath him, on top of the bed. "Tell me who you are!" Kakashi demanded.

"If you do not let me go I will be forced to hurt you." Nil calmly responded.

"Answer my question!" Kakashi yelled. "Just who the hell are you!"

"This is my last warning. Release me before I have to do something drastic." Nil angrily responded.

All Kakashi's self-control was gone as he hysterically yelled, "Just tell me who you are!"

"Don't blame me for this." Nil said. As Nil's fist made contact with Kakashi's chest, Kakashi just managed to tear the mask away from her face. Kakashi felt like all the blood in his body had been drained. The ninja standing before him stared back. A long silence lingered in the room until the maskless ninja broke it. "Hi Kakashi. It's been a long time." She managed to say.

Kakashi was at a complete loss for words and was in a state of complete shock and disbelief after seeing the ninjas face. After several minutes he was able to choke out a single word. "Yue!"


	13. Chapter 13: A New Home

**Chapter 13: A New Home **

_Ten Years Ago…_

Have you ever noticed on a round trip that one leg of the journey always seems to take longer than the other? You are going the same exact distance both ways, yet one part of it always seems take infinitely more time than the other? That is how Kakashi felt every time he had an out-of-village mission. Traveling back to the village after a mission always seemed to take twice the time it did than leaving it. There was one very good reason for this. Returning to the village meant Kakashi could be reunited with Yue, and the anticipation of their reunion always left Kakashi feeling just a little impatient.

This mission had been a fairly long one that had kept Kakashi separated from Yue for a month. He was anticipating this reunion far more than others, because with it was brought a new change to Kakashi's life. After months of asking, Yue had finally agreed to live with him. The promise of moving in together the day of his return was the driving force behind Kakashi's doubled efforts during the mission, and greater sense of impatience on the return trip.

Every step drew greater anticipation and Kakashi almost cheered in excitement when he saw the front gates to the village. After checking in with the gate sentries and filing his report with the Hokage, Kakashi was off at break-neck speeds to meet Yue.

Upon reaching Yue's home he didn't even bother to knock. Instead he flung the door open and raced inside, quickly rushing to his beloved's side. Before Yue had a chance to say anything Kakashi had ripped off his mask, grabbed her in a tight embrace, and sealed his lips over hers. Kakashi nipped at her lower lip and ran his tongue over her teeth, begging for entrance into her mouth, which Yue was only too willing to comply with. Finally surfacing for air the two lovingly stared into each other's eyes before they broke out into small giggles.

"Well hello to you too." Chuckled a slightly breathless Yue.

Kakashi didn't break his hold on her and smiled down at her. "I'm back."

"How was the mission?" she asked.

"Did you expect anything other than success?" Kakashi smirked as be bent down and kissed her on the nose. Not answering Yue began to wiggle free from his embrace, only to be wrapped up even tighter by Kakashi. "And just where do you think you are going?" Kakashi whispered into her ear before playfully nipping it.

Yue let out a satisfied sigh before quickly regaining her composure. "Now listen here you. We have a lot to do if we are going to move today. We can't afford to waist time if we are going to finish it all today." She said in a tone of mock scolding.

"And what if I thought of a good waste of time?" asked Kakashi seductively.

Yue wasn't falling for his tricks, and even though her body was reacting opposite of her words she managed to calmly banter back, "Well if you want to waste time, then we can waste all the time in the world and spare ourselves from the hassle of moving then."

"Ah, you make a hard bargain." Kakashi sighed as he trailed kisses down her neck. With one last squeeze he reluctantly released Yue from his embrace. "What do we need to do?"

"I have already packed everything of both mine, and yours. Your boxes are still over at your house. I managed to convince some of our friends to help us move." She said as she began packing some boxes into a cart.

"That's a relief." Kakashi stated while beginning to load boxes onto the cart as well. "Who did you manage to convince to help us?"

"Well I was talking to Kurenai and Anko, when Guy's squad walked by. They volunteered to help us. Then Ibiki and his team happened by and offered to help as well." She said. Pausing for a minute she seemed to consider something then continued, "Well I guess I didn't really _convince_ anyone, rather had a lot of volunteers."

"You know those guys only volunteered to help you because they like you right?" Kakashi grumbled.

Yue laughed at him as she continued loading boxes into the cart. "They know I am fully devoted to you." She happily replied.

Despite all his attempts to remain annoyed, Kakashi couldn't help but feel placated at her words. Trying to hide his embarrassment he mumbled, "Well couldn't you have at least refused Guy?"

The rest of the morning passed happily. The moving group had split into three teams; a team moving Kakashi's things from his house, a team moving Yue's things from her house, and Anko and Kurenai at the new house delegating where the boxes should be placed.

Dusk had fallen by the time the moving was finished, and as a thank you treat Yue decided to throw a barbeque party at the new home. While the moving party took a break at home, Kakashi and Yue went to the store to buy the things for the party. On the way back from the store Kakashi and Yue walked hand in hand, enjoying the early evening breeze.

"I can't believe we managed to finish that in one day!" sighed Kakashi.

"See? Aren't you glad all of them decided to help after all?" grinned Yue. "Guy was particularly helpful, wouldn't you say?"

"If you call him running like a stampeding bull through the village while dragging six carts helpful, then yes, I guess he was." Groaned Kakashi.

"He said it was part of his training." Laughed Yue. "At least he didn't hurt anyone, and the moving went that much quicker because of him." Kakashi failed to see the humor in it.

As they rounded the corner they could hear angry voices quickly approaching. "What on earth do you think is going on?" Asked Yue. Kakashi merely shrugged. The two stopped so they could hear what the voices were saying.

"Get back here Naruto! Just you wait till I get my hands on you!" the angry voice yelled.

A small boy with bright yellow hair was running away from an angry pair of ninja. "Slowpokes! You can't catch me!" He yelled, while sticking out his tongue at the angry pursuers. Since he was not watching where he was running he ended up running head first into Yue. "Oww! Why don't you watch where you are going old lady!" he yelled.

"Old lady?" said Yue in a very menacing voice that even Kakashi flinched at.

The angry pursuers finally managed to catch up. "Naruto you brat!" yelled one of the pursuers. "You are going to pay for what you did!"

"Please hand that child over to us." Said the other pursuer.

_What a bother,_ Kakashi thought to himself. "Just what did he do?" Kakashi sighed with annoyance.

"He managed to sneak into the village library and made a mess of the place. Books and papers were everywhere. It will take weeks to reorganize the place." The pursuers said angrily. "Now, we demand that you hand over that child right now."

"You demand, do you?" came an angry voice from behind Kakashi. An icy chill swept over the four males, freezing them in utter terror. "I'm afraid I have business with this brat myself." Said an angry Yue. "I will be sure to punish him for the library incident too."

Upon realizing whom the voice belonged to the two pursuers let out a small yelp of recognition and bowed down low. "Lady Yue! We didn't realize it was you! Our most humble apologies. We leave this matter in your hands!" They managed to stammer before quickly making their escape. _"Lady" Yue?_ Kakashi thought quizzically, but he didn't dare question it at this time as Yue was angrily rounding on the frightened Naruto.

"Just who do you think you are calling an old lady, huh Naruto?" she growled while holding Naruto in the air by the collar of his shirt. "Haven't I told you a million times to just call me Yue?" she asked.

"Yes ma'am!" squeaked the terrified Naruto, who was doing his best to shrink away from her. _Poor kid,_ thought Kakashi.

"What was that?" Yue scowled.

"I…I…I mean, yes Yue!" Naruto replied.

"Good!" smiled Yue. "That's much better. Kakashi you go on ahead. I will be there soon." She said. Kakashi didn't argue with her and instead headed home. "You come with me." Yue said as she dragged Naruto off with her towards the park.

Sitting on a bench in the park Naruto and Yue snacked on a popsicle. "Isn't that guy waiting for you?" said Naruto quietly in-between bites. "Wouldn't you rather be with him right now?"

"He can wait. I want to be with you right now." Said Yue with a smile.

This made Naruto blush and he quickly looked down at his feet. "Strange lady." He mumbled.

"Now Naruto, why did you do that to the library?" Asked Yue in a calm voice.

"Because books are stupid. People who read books think they are so smart and then they look down on me, and call me stupid because I hate reading. Books should just disappear." Naruto growled as he kicked a stone on the ground.

"Don't listen to those people who call you stupid. When people like to brag about being smarter than everyone else, the only thing they are doing is making themself look stupid." Yue replied.

Naruto giggled. "Hehe! I guess you are right about that." He replied, looking happier than he did before.

"And you know what?" Yue continued. "Not all books are bad. There are actually some really cool books that tell fun stories, or teach you about anything you want to know."

"I don't believe you." Said Naruto with a skeptical look.

"You don't? Well then I will prove it to you!" Said Yue as she hopped up and drug Naruto with her to the nearest bookstore.

An hour later the two emerged with Naruto clinging tightly to a book called, _101 Different Ways to Eat Ramen._ "Are you really sure I can have this book?" Naruto asked excitedly.

"Would I lie to you?" Asked Yue with a small chuckle. "Now you go home now, and I expect you to go help clean up the library tomorrow!" she said after him.

"I will!" said Naruto. He looked slightly troubled for a minute before he gave Yue a big hug and ran off while yelling, "Thanks a lot big sister Yue!"

Yue chuckled to herself. _That kid. He is going to do big things one day,_ she thought to herself. Just then she notices Kakashi standing about ten feet away holding a grocery bag. "Kakashi! What are you doing out here still? What about the rest?"

"I was sent to get more alcohol. You were taking so long that we started the party already." Kakashi grumbled.

"Sorry about that. I will take over once we get home." She said while slipping her arm around Kakashi's waist.

Kakashi sighed. He knew he couldn't stay annoyed with her when she was being so cute. "So what happened with the boy?" Asked Kakashi.

"We talked. I lectured. He told me what was wrong. I bought him a book. He left. Just a normal interaction between him and I" smiled Yue.

"Why do you even bother with the kid?" Kakashi asked. "You know what the village thinks of him right?"

"Of course I know what the village thinks of him, but does that mean I have to as well?" frowned Yue.

"No, I just think that you are wasting a lot of effort on a boy who doesn't care." Replied Kakashi.

"A boy who doesn't care?" Yue responded with a confused look. "I don't believe that at all. I think he gets into trouble because he cares a lot." Yue stated. Kakashi silently pondered her words. "He's all alone in this world. I think he cares a great deal and because of that he gets into trouble. You asked my why I take the effort to care about him, but I am more curious why people take so much effort to NOT care about him."

Kakashi felt bad about his earlier comments. Yue always had such a positive outlook on everything, and an annoyingly astute understanding of people. That, after all, had been what drew him to her in the first place. "You're right, as usual." Kakashi said. "I think I need to revaluate my opinions on that boy."

"And that…" She reached up to place a small kiss on his lips. "…is why I love you." Said Yue. Kakashi happily wrapped his arm around her waist as he and Yue made their way back to their new home.

Upon arrival at their new home, Kakashi stopped Yue before she could go inside. "Why are we stopping here?" asked Yue quizzically.

"There's something I want to do first before we go inside." Said Kakashi. Without warning Kakashi suddenly lifted Yue up into a princess lift and kissed her gently on the lips. "Welcome home." He said with a smile.

Yue could see a hint of a blush creeping up Kakashi's face and smiled back at him. "I'm home." She said back to him.

~~~~~~~Today's Musical Muse: Arirang arranged by Steve Jablonsky from the D-Wars soundtrack (I usually choose music that has lyrics or a feel that matches the flow of the story...This song has nothing to do with the story or flow, I just love, and have wonderful memories of this song. (If you haven't heard it before I suggest you look it up! It is a beautiful and very emotional piece!)


	14. Chapter 14: Unwelcome News

**Chapter 14: Unwelcome News **

_Ten Years Ago Continued…_

Stepping over the threshold of their new home together Kakashi and Yue were immediately met with a gruesome scene. Empty bottles, Clothes, and sleeping bodies (lacking their clothes) were flopped all over the house. Kakashi had left to get more alcohol for the housewarming party, but he could tell that the alcohol was no longer needed since the party had all passed out.

"What are we going to do about them?" Kakashi grumbled. "Shouldn't they have gone home if they were this drunk?"

"Can't be helped." Said Yue with a chuckle. "They were waiting for us to comeback, and they did help us move all day. We should just let them sleep."

"No way! This is our first night together. Do you know how long I have been waiting for this?" whined Kakashi.

"I have been excited for this too." Said Yue trying to pacify the annoyed Kakashi. "We should at least help them get home then."

"Can't we just throw a bucket of cold water on them?" Kakashi grumbled as he hoisted a drunk Guy onto his back. On his way out the door he spotted one of the carts they had used to move their stuff earlier. Kakashi deposited Guy into the cart, then went back inside and brought out a drunk Genma, followed by Ebisu.

"Kakashi! You can't pack them up in a cart like they are pieces of luggage!" Yue exclaimed sounding somewhere between scorn and amusement.

"Why not? This is more convenient that hauling them one at a time back to their homes." Kakashi smiled mischievously. "This way I can carry three at once, and be back home sooner to have my way with you."

Yue giggled. "I guess you have a point. They aren't going to be happy if they wake up and find that you are hauling them around like baggage though." Kakashi merely shrugged and set off with his first "haul" of drunkards. Yue let out a small laugh again watching Kakashi heading off with their three friends slung in the back of a cart. Looking back at the rest of their charges she sighed and created a shadow clone. _I guess I better take Kurenai and Anko home,_ thought Yue. Hoisting one of the girls on a shadow clone, and the other on her own back Yue and her shadow clone set off taking the drunk girls back home.

On her way back home Yue was stopped by one of her fellow ANBU members. "Lord Hokage wishes to speak to you immediately." Said the ANBU ninja.

"I understand." Said Yue and followed after the ninja to the Hokage's mansion. Yue had a bad feeling about what was to come at the words of the Hokage. Pushing aside her unease Yue stood before the Hokage, awaiting her orders.

"Yue, I am assigning you to a new mission." Said the Third Hokage. "We have received news of Orochimaru and an alliance of rogue ninja that he has gathered together. They are calling themselves the R-Alliance. Your mission is to infiltrate their ranks and learn all you can about the alliance, and if the opportunity should arise I want you to eliminate Orochimaru."

"For this type of infiltration mission a pair is usually assigned. Will I be assigned a partner for this mission?" asked Yue.

"I'm afraid I cannot send you with a partner this time." The Third answered. "The alliance is very cautious about accepting new members. Suspicion would arise if two ninja were to join at once. Unfortunately, you will have to do this alone."

Yue was sure that there was something more to the mission than the Third was letting on. This type of mission was usually given to only the most experienced members of the ANBU, and while she was a high-ranking officer, she was definitely still young and inexperienced in comparison to some of her seniors. "My Lord, if I may be so bold, is there a reason why I am being sent on this mission? Missions of this importance are given only to the most experienced officers. As I do not quite fit into that category am I to assume that this mission will be relying on my particular skills?"

"Your senses are accurate as always." The Third replied. "Because of your particular chakra nature you have the highest chance of succeeding in this mission. Also,…" The Third hesitated for a moment. "This mission will take place back on your home island at the now abandoned Light Village."

Yue felt as if the floor had disappeared beneath her feet. Although she had been very young when she escaped the village, nightmares still haunted her from the carnage she had witnessed on the island. "I…I understand sir." She managed to say finally. With this final piece of information Yue knew that her happy life with Kakashi was going to be put on hold, and perhaps never come to pass. "Sir I have one final request."

"I have a feeling I know what it is going to be." Sighed the Third Hokage. "It has something to do with Kakashi, am I right."

Yue nodded her head. "Kakashi must never know what I have been assigned. He would chase me to ends of the earth to try and stop me. Kakashi can't handle another death either. It would break him. You have to make me disappear from his memory all together. Please allow me to put a seal on his memories of me." Yue asked, fighting hard to hold back tears.

The third Hokage looked solemnly back at her. "Are you sure you want this?" He asked. "You know what this means if you do that right. He will have no knowledge of you ever existing." Yue sadly nodded. "Also, what if the seal fails? Strong-minded people like Kakashi can often break seals. What do you think will happen if he breaks the seal and you are gone? He could even end up hating you for it."

"That is a sacrifice I will have to bear." Said Yue. "I will not put him through the anguish of losing another person close to him."

"You speak as if you are going to die on this mission." The Third quietly responded.

Breaking formality Yue looked at the Third with pleading eyes, "Grandpa, you know as well as I do that there is a strong possibility that I will not make it back alive. Even if I do manage to make it back, it will be years before it happens. Kakashi is impatient. He would search to the ends of the earth till he found me, or it killed him. He has had more than enough pain in his life. I will not add another one to the list."

The Third's gaze softened. "If that is what you want I will respect your decision." Said the Third.

Yue wiped away the few tears that had managed to escape, then looked back at the Third with a determined look. "Give me just three hours alone, to say goodbye to him. After that I will place the seal on him and will need a squad of ninjas to help me move Kakashi's belongings back to his old house."

"Understood" agreed the Third. "As the Hokage, I must warn you against doing anything that will jeopardize your mission." He said with a knowing look. "As your grandfather however, I want to tell you how happy I am for you and Kakashi taking this big step. I only wish I could have watched you two grow old, and start a family together one day."

Yue smiled sadly. "I have one final request Grandpa." Said Yue. The Third Hokage nodded, willing her to continue. "Please keep my house the way it is. No matter what happens, I want that house to stay standing as a reminder of Kakashi and my happiness."

The Third Hokage readily agreed. "On my honor as the Third Hokage, and your Grandfather, I promise that house will always remain untouched and ready for your return."

Yue nodded and leapt from the Hokage's window. If there were only three hours left with Kakashi, she was going to make them count.


	15. Chapter 15: If Only For Tonight-Lemon

**Chapter 15: If Only For Tonight~ Lemon**

_Ten Years Ago Continued…_

Kakashi was pacing back and forth across the living room. He had finished carting their drunk friends back to their homes, but when he came back, Yue was no where in sight. _She is taking too long. Something must have happened,_ Kakashi thought to himself. Just as he was about to take off looking for her he could hear the front door open, and Yue announcing that she was back.

As quick as lighting Kakashi was holding her in a tight embrace. "Ka…Ka…Shi…too…tight." She gasped. Kakashi loosened his embrace just enough for her to regain her breath, but still did not let her go.

"Where were you? What took you so long?" He said with relief.

Yue could hear the worry in his voice and wrapped her arms around his waist. "The sky is so pretty out tonight, I was distracted by the stars on my way home." She said.

"Tch. Here I was worried all about you, and you were gazing at stars. What is more important to you, stars or me?" Kakashi sulked.

"Hmm." Said Yue teasingly. "I wonder?"

"Did you really have to think about that?" Kakashi pouted. Yue just laughed at him. "You are going to regret that." Said Kakashi mischievously. "I am going to have to punish you for that." With that said, Kakashi pinned Yue against the wall and began to roughly kiss her.

Before she could react Kakashi snuck his tongue into Yue's mouth. Yue let out a moan of satisfaction, and Kakashi expertly wove his tongue around, intertwining with Yue's. The kiss deepened until the two finally had to break for air. Kakashi pinned her wrists above her head and started trailing kisses down her jaw to her neck.

As his kisses trailed down so did his hands. While one hand was holding her wrists above her head, the other hand made its way to her left breast. Kakashi felt the softness beneath his hands and began to massage her breast.

Sensual moans began to escape from Yue's lips. Kakashi was creating sensations in her that she had never felt before. Quickly pulling her captured hands free Yue began to pull at the zipper on his vest, trying to free him from the unwanted clothing. Finally rid of the unwanted vest and undershirt, Yue began to caress Kakashi's well-toned chest and stomach. _He is magnificent_, Yue thought to herself, as she once again lost to the sensations that Kakashi was creating with his hands.

Kakashi trailed kisses down to the collar of her shirt. Like Yue had done before, Kakashi was ready to rid her of the interfering clothes. Losing patience Kakashi pulled a Kunai from his leg holster and cut the clothes off of her.

Through ragged breaths Yue managed to pant, "You…owe…me…a…new…outfit."

"I think I can handle that." Laughed Kakashi. With her free of her clothes Kakashi paused for a moment to admire her.

"Don't look at me like that you perv." Blushed Yue as she moved to cover herself.

Kakashi grabbed her hands, exposing her once again. "Don't hide. You are beautiful. I can't believe that you are mine." He said lovingly. Yue merely blushed again, unable to respond.

Kakashi's hand found itself once again on her left breast massaging it, while his lips locked onto her right breast. Kakashi swirled his tongue over her nipple making it stand up hard. Yue let out another satisfied moan. With a small smile his lips locked around her nipple alternating sucking and teasing it with his tongue.

Yue was letting out a steady flow of pleasured moans. Yue couldn't believe the sensations Kakashi was creating, and found her body reacting more and more to his every touch. Yue wrapped her legs around Kakashi's waist, trying to bring him even closer to her.

Kakashi quickly lifted her up and carried her to the bed. _Their_ bed. Laying her down on the bed, Kakashi quickly climbed on top of her straddling her. His hands and lips once again found her breasts and continued their teasing. While his mouth and right hand were occupied with her breasts, Kakashi's left hand ran down her body till it reached her wet opening. "You are already wet." Kakashi teased between nibbles.

"Perv" she barely managed to say.

Removing his lips from her right breast he began to trail kisses further down once again. Trailing his tongue down her body he stopped at her naval, teasing the small hole with his tongue. Yue's body twitched at the unfamiliar yet pleasing sensation of his tongue. "That…tickles." She managed to pant.

Kakashi chuckled and ran his tongue down further past her wet opening to her thighs. Kakashi ran his tongue up the inside of each thigh and down the other. A shiver of pleasure ran down Yue's body. Satisfied with her reactions Kakashi slowly dipped his tongue into her wet entrance. The sudden entrance caused Yue to buck in surprise, arching her back in pleasure. "You're body is very honest." Kakashi mumbled. Yue didn't even have the ability to respond back to that.

Kakashi dipped his tongue further into her entrance, while his fingers began to rub her clit. Yue's hips began to move in rhythm to his tongue. As his moves quickened so did her breathing until finally in a scream of pleasure Yue climaxed sending her sweet release into Kakashi's mouth.

"You taste so sweet." Said Kakashi, as he tasted her. Yue was far beyond words at this point, panting while coming back down from her body's first orgasm. Kakashi slowly inserted a finger into her wet opening. "You are so tight." He said. He began to move his finger slowly in and out. Yue clung to Kakashi's back.

Kakashi could feel his own member struggling against the confines of his pants, but he pushed the needs of his throbbing member out of his mind for the moment. He didn't want to hurt Yue so he needed to prepare her a little more. Kakashi inserted another finger in her opening. Yue let out a sharp gasp at the foreign intrusion. "Does is hurt?" Asked Kakashi.

The sudden entrance of his fingers into her body had been expected, but the pain that it brought along with it was not. Yue let out a sharp gasp of pain when Kakashi had placed another one of his fingers inside her. When Kakashi had asked if it hurt Yue managed to shake her head no, but mercifully, Kakashi waited for her to adjust. The foreign sensation Yue was feeling was very different to any she had felt before and she wasn't sure if she liked it yet or not. As time passed the pain receded and Kakashi began to move his fingers inside her again, but this time it created a pleasurable sensation.

Kakashi inserted a third finger into her opening and once again waited till the discomfort disappeared from her face. Moving once again, the only thing he could see on Yue's face was pleasure now. _She is ready, h_e thought. While continuing to move his fingers inside her, Kakashi reached down with his other hand and pulled off his own pants. His hard member sprang forth, finally released from the confinement of his pants.

As Yue came back down from her second climax she just barely managed to focus on Kakashi as he finished removing his clothes. She was slightly shocked at the sheer size of him. _If his fingers had felt big then how on earth was that going to feel?_ She thought to herself.

Kakashi placed himself at her entrance. "I am going to put it in now." Said Kakashi. Yue nodded, spreading her legs to give him better access.

Yue could feel the pressure of the tip at her entrance. Holding her breath she braced herself as Kakashi slowly pushed himself inside her. The sensation of the tip entering her felt almost like a strong pinch. Kakashi paused giving her time to adjust to the new feeling.

"Are you ok?" Kakashi asked, voice full of concern.

"I'm ok." Yue panted. "You don't need to hold back Kakashi."

Kakashi nodded and slowly began to push himself further inside. Kakashi could feel how tight she was inside. He bent down planting a loving kiss on her lips to try and relax her even more.

Yue could tell just how hard Kakashi was holding bake for her sake, and loved him even more for it. "Kakashi, do it hard. I need to feel all of you now." With that said, the last vestiges of control Kakashi was holding onto were lost and he slammed into her hard. Yue let out a sharp gasp as Kakashi ripped through her virginity.

When he was completely inside her Kakashi waited for her to adjust to him. After a few minutes Yue looked completely relaxed so he began to move his hips in rhythm, slow at first, then gradually increasing in speed. Kakashi could feel Yue's hips moving in response to him. Faster and faster he thrusted until he could feel his own climax nearing.

Yue could feel Kakashi getting bigger inside her. That must mean was nearing his climax. If he climaxed inside of her she ran the risk of getting pregnant, which the Hokage had specifically warned her against. But how was she supposed to tell him that she couldn't afford getting pregnant? That would be like telling him she didn't want to have his babies. No, she would have to take the chance, and hope that she didn't get pregnant this time. Pushing her last rational thoughts out of her head Yue lost herself to Kakashi's strong rhythm. With one final thrust Yue felt Kakashi's hot seed pour into her passage, and she too, climaxed along with him.

Panting and covered in sweat the two clung to each other, still connected waiting for their heart rates to return to normal. Kakashi bent down and kissed Yue. "I love you." He said with a smile.

Yue kissed him back. "I love you too."

Kakashi rested his head on her chest, closing his eyes he listened to Yue's heartbeat, feeling completely happy.

Yue on the other hand was feeling a mix of emotions. She was happier than she had ever been, finally having been able to consummate her love with Kakashi, but with a quick glance at the clock, her unfortunate reality set in, an she knew she would have to leave this happiness behind her. "I think you and I are in need of a bath." Yue said, hiding her unease behind a smile.

"Do we have to?" mumbled Kakashi. He was on the verge of falling asleep.

"Get up lazy bum." Yue teased as she pinched his nose.

"Are we going to bathe together?" Kakashi replied, glancing up at her face.

"Naturally." Yue smirked back with a seductive grin. Within seconds Kakashi was out of bed, carrying a laughing Yue with him into the bathroom.

Kakashi and Yue took turns washing each other. Yue was resting in Kakashi's arms as they sat together in the tub. "I wish we could stay like this forever." Sighed Kakashi.

"Me too." Said Yue. She slowly turned to look into Kakashi's eyes. "Me too." She said again before she quickly placed her hand against his forehead and said, "Mind Seal!" Kakashi didn't have enough time to register what had happened before his unconscious body slumped over. Yue caught him before he sank into the water and hoisted him out of the tub. She quickly dried Kakashi and placed him on the bed.

With a remorseful look, Yue gave him a soft kiss before she dried herself off and dressed, preparing for her mission. With a final glance back at Kakashi, she offered him a silent goodbye, wiped the tears from her eyes and signaled for the hidden ninja to come in and move Kakashi and his things back to his old apartment.

Yue didn't know if she would ever see him again. As she exited through the village gates she took one final look back in the direction of her home, then turned and rushed forward towards her new mission.


	16. Chapter 16: The Escape Plan

**Chapter 16: The Escape Plan**

_Present Day…_

Relief, betrayal, joy, disbelief. Those were only a few of the many emotions that Kakashi was feeling. As if all the strength in his body had disappeared Kakashi slumped back on the bed, releasing Yue as he fell. Yue quickly slid off the bed and took a few steps back. An awkward silence filled the room, and neither made any move to break it. Kakashi was staring at Yue as if he had seen a ghost, while Yue had a very guarded expression.

Finally, after what seemed like hours Kakashi was the first to break the silence. "H-how can this be?"

Yue was at a loss for words. After all, what does one really say in a situation like this? The only thing she was sure of was that Kakashi knew who she was, which meant the mind seal had been broken. "That is a long story I'm afraid." Yue cautiously replied.

The obscure reply hadn't been entirely unexpected, however it had managed to reignite the flames of anger inside Kakashi. "I've got time." He stated curtly.

"Unfortunately, I am under no obligation to tell you anything." Yue responded back icily. "You are a ninja too. You know that you have no right to ask me to divulge private information concerning my mission."

"I've got the only right!" roared Kakashi. "You know damn well I am not asking you about the details of your mission!"

It was true. Yue knew full well what Kakashi was really asking, but how could she answer him? How did she have the right to try and explain herself to him, when she was the one who forced the mind seal on him? Their scuffle and Kakashi's angry outburst had drawn the curious onlookers back to the room. Yue let out a heavy sigh. "It appears this conversation will have to wait till later." Before Kakashi could protest she disappeared from the room leaving behind a trail of confused and shocked faces.

"What just happened Kakashi sensei?" Asked Lee. "Who was that just now?

"Are you ok Kakashi Sensei?" Asked Sakura as she quickly examined Kakashi's leg.

"Sai, I want you to follow her." Order Kakashi, ignoring the other questions. "She is an S-Class sensory ninja so be extra careful." With a silent nod, Sai quickly exited the room in the same direction Yue had headed.

"Spill it Kakashi." Demanded Sasuke. "What the hell just happened here?"

"A face from the past." Kakashi replied. "Guy, did you see her face?"

Uncharacteristically, Guy was standing far back with a very worried expression. "Oh, um, I just barely managed to see her as she fled. We both know Sai is no match for her so I will go assist him." Guy quickly mumbled before quickly exiting the room.

"Just what the hell is going on here?" Naruto groaned. "First that weird Nil and now Bushier Brow sensei too. "Can someone please explain this situation to me!"

All eyes were focused on Kakashi, waiting for an explanation. Kakashi wanted nothing more than to be alone right now, but he knew they wouldn't leave without an explanation. After pondering for many minutes he bean to speak. "Nil is actually a ninja from our village, named Yue. Ten years ago she went missing from the village. There were many different rumors as to her whereabouts. Some said she was killed on a mission, others said she had become a rogue ninja. Unfortunately that is all the information I have. What her mission is, and even if she is still our ally is unknown. What I can tell you though is this. She is a very skilled ninja. If she turns out to be our enemy then I cannot guarantee that any of us will make it away alive from here."

A wide range of expressions stared back at Kakashi. Tenten and Sakura looked completely terrified, Neji and Sasuke had their brows furrowed in thought, and Naruto and Lee looked in between admiration and anger. "If she is that powerful then we must back up Guy sensei and Sai." Said Lee.

"No Lee. Sending more people wont help any. We must trust Guy and Sai to handle it. The rest of us need to secretly prepare to escape." Kakashi said.

"If she is a rogue ninja from our village wouldn't it make sense for us to capture her and take her back to our village? What if she passes on sensitive information concerning the village?" Tenten asked.

"If she is a rogue ninja then she has already had ten years to pass on sensitive information. In any case, the village has changed drastically in ten years so information she had would be outdated now." Neji responded.

"Even if her information is out of date I think we should still drag her back to village." Argued Naruto.

"Didn't you hear what Kakashi said?" Sakura angrily asked. "Kakashi sensei said she was dangerous. Even if she is our ally she wouldn't just sit back and let us capture her. There would definitely be a fight. Plus we are on an enemy island. The R-alliance would hear us for sure!"

"We are wasting time arguing." Kakashi groaned. "Sakura is right. We cannot afford to alert the R-alliance to our presence, nor are we guaranteed to be successful in capturing her. What we need to do is prepare to escape the island. Sakura and Lee, gather enough food rations and medical supplies to get us back to the Village Hidden in the Clouds. Naruto and Sasuke, find us a boat to get back to the mainland. Neji, you are going to be surveillance. Keep an eye on San. Watch his every move. Tenten, make sure our weapons are stocked. As soon as Guy and Sai are back will head out. Until then, you must act normal. Don't give them any reason to be suspicious or we will not be able to escape."

With a final nod the ninja disappeared from the room, each heading out to complete their specific task. Kakashi slumped back into his bed. As much as he wanted to chase after Yue, to demand answers, he knew that he had to stay in bed to avoid causing suspicion.

With the room finally quiet, Kakashi finally had a chance to try and sort through his troubled mind, which proved to only bring up more questions. _So Yue is alive. What is she doing back here of all places? Did she really abandon the village? Can we trust her as our ally? And…what really happened ten years ago? _


	17. Chapter 17: Guy's POV

**Chapter 17: Guy's POV**

_Damn that Yue, making me go through all this trouble again!_ Thought Guy to himself as he rushed off after her. Seeing Yue escaping from the room had brought back many memories that he had long forgotten.

It had been ten years ago, on the night Kakashi and Yue had moved in together. Guy was painfully awoken by a sharp jab to his nose, and was surprised to find himself back in his apartment accompanied by an annoyed raven staring up at him. _How did I get back home?_ He thought to himself.

Sitting up he felt a great wave of nausea hit him, and he was reminded of the alcohol that he had consumed earlier at the house warming party. He made his way dizzily over to the sink to get a glass of water. Slumping down into his chair he felt a little better as the cool water hit his stomach. It was only then that he became aware of the bird following him.

"I don't have anything for you to eat bird so you will have to try somewhere else." Guy slurred as he tried waving the bird away. Angrily, the raven hopped closer to Guy and paused for a moment to stare in Guy's eyes before pecking him once again on the nose.

"Get back you pesky bird!" Yelled Guy, while rubbing his throbbing nose. Despite Guy's attempts to shoo the bird away, the raven managed to dodge his attacks until he feebly gave up and rested his head on the table. "You win bird. What do you want?"

The raven hopped over right in front of his face and stuck out its leg. Tied to its leg was a message. "Oh I get it now." Guy said, as he retrieved the message from its leg. "You are trying to deliver a message to me." Guy could almost swear he saw the raven roll its eyes at him before it flew out his window.

With one final rub of his sore nose he opened the note and read:

**_Sorry about the rude awakening Guy. I told Kuro to get this message to you using any means necessary. I have been assigned on a mission, and there is no guarantee that I will be returning from it. Before I leave the village tonight I am placing a mind seal on Kakashi, erasing my existence from his memories. There is a squad already on standby to move his belongings back to his old apartment. I need you to inform the others about this. I know this is very selfish of me, but you, more than anyone else, will understand me when I say that this is for Kakashi's sake. Kakashi is still in a very fragile state and he can't afford to lose anyone else. It would break him. Please Guy, you are the only one I can count on to complete this mission. _**

**_- Yue_**

"Curse you Yue!" Guy yelled before charging out his door to inform everyone about the ordeal. Guy hated lying to Kakashi. The next day when he saw Kakashi, everything had gone back to normal, minus Yue. Guy had managed to tell everyone about the situation so no one mentioned anything about Yue to Kakashi. Kakashi was just as cool as ever, but Guy couldn't help but feel that there was something slightly off about Kakashi. There would be moments when Kakashi would suddenly fall silent and look like he had a headache. To distract him from anything that would cause him to remember, Guy began to challenge Kakashi more frequently to duels.

The sudden appearance of Sai in front of him quickly pulled Guy from his reminiscing. Guy quickly caught up to Sai who was lurking on top of a large pile of boulders. "What have you found out so far?" asked Guy as he approached Sai. Ahead of him he could see Yue sitting on the edge of a cliff, staring out at the ocean.

"She hasn't made a move for the last five minutes. She is just sitting there." Sai replied. I am going to try and plant one of my ninja art insects on her."

As his super beast scroll insects crept closer, suddenly a smoke bomb exploded and Yue came crashing down, knocking Sai unconscious in a single blow. "Super beast scroll insects were a nice try, but I can smell the ink from miles away." Yue smirked. "Guy, it's been a long time!" Guy wasn't sure how to respond to her. It was true that he was excited to see his old friend again, but he was also still upset with her for making him lie to Kakashi. "You're being unusually quiet today, Guy." Yue teased. "I thought you would proudly declare something about the flames of youth at least."

Guy chuckled. "I am glad to see that my old friend is still the same." He finally replied in his usual energetic tone. "It's been a long time Yue."

"It has indeed." Replied Yue with a smile. "You've become quite the ninja in my absence."

"Of course I have!" gushed Guy. "Training passionately everyday is my motto! I teach it to all my students!"

"I can tell. Lee reminds me of you when you were younger." Yue replied as she walked back over the cliff side. "I can tell just how much your students love and admire you."

Guy blushed in embarrassment as he went over to join Yue at the cliff. "So tell me, what is the status of your mission?" asked Guy.

"It is almost complete. I have managed to do everything I was commanded except for one final task." Yue said.

"I'm guessing it has to do with Orochimaru?" asked Guy.

"You guessed right." Yue sighed.

"Ten years sure is a long time." Muttered Guy sitting next to her. "Enough that the world has completely changed."

"I wonder how the village and its people are doing." Mused Yue. "I heard that Lady Tsunade took over as the Hokage after Gramps died."

"She did indeed." Guy replied. "Kakashi was almost made the Hokage himself."

At the mention of Kakashi's name Yue's face fell. "Guy, Kakashi knows who I am which means the seal was broken somehow. Do you know how it happened?" Yue could see a troubled expression cross Guy's face. "Please tell me."

"Well…" Guy began. "You remember how Danzo despised Kakashi for abandoning ROOT right?" Yue nodded. "From what I heard Danzo had found out about your secret mission and decided to use it to harm Kakashi. He knew that Kakashi was in a fragile state so he decided to get revenge. Danzo broke the seal on Kakashi then told him you had been killed. He probably thought the shock would be great enough to emotional traumatize Kakashi, effectively ending his life as a ninja. Fortunately the Third caught wind of it in time and stepped in just in time."

"What happened after that?" Yue asked.

"Unfortunately Danzo succeeded to some degree. Kakashi fell into a catatonic state and had to be hospitalized." Guy replied.

"So how did Kakashi recover?" Yue asked, face full of regret.

"Somehow Lord Jiraya was able to save him back." Guy answered. "No one is really sure how he did it. Kakashi suddenly vanished from the hospital, but three months later he showed up again alongside Lord Jiraya completely healthy and basically back to normal you could say."

"Basically?" Yue responded. "How was he _basically_ back to normal?"

Guy thought about it before answering. "He could talk and smile again, except hidden behind everything was a hint of sadness and some of his personality traits had changed. He started caring more about his comrades, and less about ninja rules. You should see him now. He is always late." Guy said with an exasperated voice.

Yue chuckled. "Well I can see that he still has a very trustworthy friend by his side. Thank you Guy."

"It's only natural. Flaming bonds of friendship should never be ignored!" cheered Guy. Then with a somber expression he turned back to Yue and asked, "What are you going to do?"

Yue shrugged. "I don't know what to do. No matter what I feel like I owe him some answers, but how am I supposed to do so when everything I tell him sounds like I am trying to justify my actions?"

"You placed that mind seal on him to protect him right?" Guy asked.

"Even so, it doesn't excuse me from doing it. I was young, in-love, and foolish and only thought about my feelings of wanting to protect him. I didn't consider his feelings, and how he would feel about it." Yue sighed.

"Well consider his feelings now." Guy huffed. "How do you think he feels right now after you just ran away without an explanation?"

"Angry!" Said a sudden voice, causing them to jump in surprise. Turning around they found Kakashi walking out from the shadow of a tree looking both hurt and confused. "I am extremely angry."


	18. Chapter 18:Questions Answered

**Chapter 18: Questions Answered**

There are times in ones life where the world seems to move in slow motion. Every detail, every sound, and every movement are captured. Your brain takes in all the information and processes it so you know without a fiber of doubt what is happening, yet your body and voice are unable to keep up. It's as if you are being held back by an invisible force, willing you to keep pace with the rest of the world. This rare and strange phenomenon usually happens in times of great peril or danger. You see danger coming, but are completely unable to avoid it. For Yue, now was one of those moments.

With every step Kakashi took nearer to Yue, the more she wanted to flee. Inwardly she cursed herself for being so cowardly, but what does one say when faced by their long lost lover whom they had fooled for the past ten years? She willed her legs to move but they wouldn't. Instead she remained firmly planted where she stood, cursing her body's inability to follow the most basic of commands.

Kakashi was now standing a mere foot away from her when she finally managed to speak. "Kakashi, why are you here? What about your leg?"

"Never mind my leg. Is what you just said true?" Kakashi asked. "Did you really put the mind seal on me?" When she did not respond he instead turned his attention on Guy. "And you. You knew about this?"

"I wanted to tell you Kakashi but…" Guy said before Kakashi interrupted him.

"But? But?! Aren't we eternal rivals? Wasn't it you who said we had to be honest with each other at all times or it wouldn't be fair? How could you keep this from me?" Kakashi yelled.

Guy dropped his head in shame, but it was Yue who stepped in to defend him. "Kakashi don't be mad at Guy! I asked him to do it, and the Third also ordered him to keep quiet."

"So you will defend him, but you can't even explain yourself!" roared Kakashi.

His angry words made Yue flinch but she knew she had to stand strong. "I know you are angry and you have every right to be. I am the one who caused this, so I will take every bit of anger you have. Now please, let me get you back to the hideout to treat your leg. You shouldn't be moving so much on it yet."

"I am not moving an inch until you give me some sort of explanation." Kakashi spat.

Yue could tell that Kakashi was barely standing, but she also knew him well enough to know he wouldn't leave unless she knocked him out or till he got some answers. With a resigned sigh she turned to Guy and said, "Guy, grab Sai and take him back to the hideout. Kakashi and I will return shortly." Guy nodded sadly and picked up Sai. Hoisting him up onto his back he disappeared back into the forest carrying Sai away.

The awkward silence that was left was punctuated only by her nervous heartbeat. She could avoid this conversation no longer. The time had come. "I will answer all of your questions on one condition." Yue said quietly.

"As if you have the right to make demands." Scoffed Kakashi. "I will humor you though just this once."

"I will only answer your questions if you agree to sit down and let me treat your leg first, and you get Sakura to treat it once we get back." Yue replied. Kakashi gave a small grunt in reply. Yue led Kakashi over to a rock then bent down to treat his leg. "You popped your stitches open. Didn't you think that a forest pursuit may not be the best idea on a healing leg?"

"Tch, always so concerned about the leg." Kakashi grumbled. "Forget about the leg, tell me everything from the beginning."

"That is a very broad demand." Yue mused while placing a fresh bandage on his leg. "If you recall I said I would answer your questions, not tell you a story."

"Still so annoying." Kakashi growled. "Fine, what exactly are you doing on this island?"

"I am on an infiltration mission into the R-alliance. Their leader, as you know, is Orochimaru. He knew about my people's special chakra nature, and in hopes of discovering our secrets established the headquarters here on this island." Yue responded honestly.

Kakashi was a bit taken aback by her frank honesty but pushed that aside to find out more. "Does Orochimaru know you came from this island?"

"No. As far as he knows I am a rogue shinobi with no memories of my past. He is under the impression that I use special ice and void jutsu's but does not suspect that I possess the elemental chakra nature from this village."

"What is the objective of the R-alliance?" Kakashi asked.

"Destruction. Their plans really aren't that complex. They just want to destroy the villages that they abandoned." Yue said.

"Have they been successful in destroying any villages?" Kakashi inquired.

"No. The members of the R-Alliance aren't strong enough to be considered a threat." Yue said matter-of-factly. "The SR-Alliance is who you need to be concerned with. Their goal is to "

"What is the SR-Alliance?" Kakashi asked.

"SR is short for S-classed Rogue alliance." Yue replied. "They are who you want to be careful about. A few of them rival the now deceased members of the Akatsuki. There are six members of the SR-Alliance plus Orochimaru who is the leader."

"Who are the six?" Kakashi asked, unintentionally forgetting his anger in wake of the new information.

"Hana of the Stone. She uses deadly earth style jutsu. Dool of the Mist. He is a water User." Yue paused for a moment before continuing. "Seht of the Sand. He is a wind user. Neht of the sand. He is the twin brother of Seht and he is a fire user. Yah-Sut of the Cloud. He is a lightning user."

"So he has gathered his top shinobi who are all different elemental users." Kakashi calculated. "Who is the sixth member then?"

"You are looking at her." Yue replied.

"You are the sixth SR member?!" Kakashi gaped.

"Shh! We are out in the open an enemy might hear you!" Yue hissed. Kakashi merely gaped at her with a stunned look. "As far as Orochimaru knows I am a ninja with no past or memories, with rare jutsu's. He named me, Nil, as if I were his shadow."

"So tell me." Kakashi began. "Have _you_ destroyed a village or killed innocent people while being on this mission?

"Are you doubting me?" Yue asked a little hurt. Kakashi looked away from her. In his heart he would never believe Yue would do something like that, but his anger was making it harder for him to listen to his heart. Instead, he just shrugged in response. "I would never harm an innocent person." Whispered Yue.

Kakashi felt guilty for doubting her, and hated seeing the hurt look on her face, but his own hurt was stopping him from reaching out to hug her. "Well then, if you haven't been slaughtering villages, what have you been doing all this time?"

"I have been slowly eliminating the members of the SR-Alliance, while continuing to gather intel on Orochimaru." Yue answered with a knowing look at Kakashi. Yue knew Kakashi well enough to know that these weren't the real questions he had. "There used to be twenty members of the SR-Alliance. Only the top five are left."

Kakashi didn't say anything, only stood pondering to himself. The news about the SR-Alliance had definitely proven beneficial, however those answers weren't what he was really curious about. Looking at Yue brought all the questions Kakashi wanted to know flooding to the tip of his tongue, but out of hurt, or his pride he was never able to ask them. _Why did you put the mind seal on me? Did you not trust me? Do you know how much I suffered when I heard you had been killed? Why didn't you tell me about your mission? Why didn't you ask me to come along? Did you really want to live with me at all? Did you even love me?_

As the millions of questions were running through Kakashi's head a sudden, but very quiet statement from Yue brought him back to the conversation. "I was trying to protect you from more pain when I put that seal on you."

As per usual, Yue had an unnatural gift for knowing what Kakashi was thinking. Startled, yet not completely surprised Kakashi said, "Did you ever think that maybe I didn't need that protection?"

"At the time I didn't. I just wanted to spare you the pain of losing yet another person you held dear." Yue replied.

"Forgetting people that I care about is just as painful as them dying!" Roared Kakashi.

"I know that now." Yue said quietly. "Back then I was only thinking about my desire to protect the man I love. I didn't realize that you might feel different, might feel betrayed if I did it."

Kakashi stared back at her with mixed emotions of hurt and admiration. Despite his best efforts, Kakashi was happy to hear her say she loved him. How long had it been since he had heard those words? Kakashi and Yue stood at a stand still. Neither talking, nor making a move. Finally Kakashi asked in a quiet voice, "Did you really even want to live me?"

Tears began to fill Yue's eyes, as she looked back at Kakashi. "More than anything in the world."

Kakashi's lips were on hers in seconds roughly kissing her letting out all his emotions. Anger, joy, betrayal, love, hurt, and longing. Even though he was still mad, above all else he could feel his longing for her. Every day since the seal had broken he had missed her. Her smile. Her laugh. Her touch. Her Scent. The total piece of mind she brought to him.

Tears streamed down both of their faces as they lost themselves in the familiar feeling of each others lips. It was as if they were conveying all their emotions to each other through the passionate kiss.

Kakashi was the first to break the kiss. Panting for breath the two stared silently at each other. As if he had just woken from a dream Kakashi pushed Yue away from him before, turning his back to her. He had let his longing get the better of him and had kissed her. Returning to his previous icy demeanor he turned back to her and said, "Forget what just happened. I don't have anymore questions so lets head back."

"I understand." Yue replied returning to her calm demeanor. She watched Kakashi turn and head into the forest before letting out a sad sigh. _You have no right to ask him to love you again,_ she thought to herself. _You betrayed his trust and that can never be forgiven._ Pushing the negative thoughts from her mind she headed into the forest after Kakashi.

~~~~Today's Musical Muse: Memories by Within Temptations


	19. Chapter 19(Part 1):Attack on the Hideout

**Chapter 19: Attack on the Hideout (Part 1)**

_~Disclaimer: If you have not read the previous chapters, this will probably be extremely confusing to you. Reminder- Nil and Yue are the same person.)_

The scene that greeted Kakashi and Yue upon return to the hideout was anything but ordinary. In fact it was so out-of-the-ordinary that it could be considered comical. The orders Kakashi had left with the team prior to his pursuit of Yue hadn't been carried out in the least.

Walking into the kitchen, Neji, who had been assigned to keep watch over San, was instead silently standing in the corner facing the wall, much like a punished child would be.

Sakura, who had been ordered to gather medical supplies, was instead looming over the unresponsive Neji, lecturing about consequences and responsibility.

It was safe to say that Naruto, Lee, and Guy had also completely forgotten their orders, as they were jumping around the room while cheering and throwing flowers.

Tenten, had been assigned to gather weapons, but was instead gathering and consuming every piece of food she could find in the kitchen.

As the only calm person in the room, Sasuke was sitting atop a wiggling sack, that Kakashi was quite certain contained San. He was neither part of the chaos, nor was he trying to stop it. Instead, he looked completely uninterested.

It was just then that Kakashi noticed a still unconscious Sai draped over a chair, partially covered by trash and flowers. Much to his annoyance he could hear Yue giggling behind him. If he hadn't been in such a foul mood already he would have probably found this scene quite amusing himself. However, with the recent reuniting with Yue and the feelings of betrayal still fresh, he was less than willing to put up with the chaos.

"Just what the hell happened here?" Kakashi yelled at the noisy bunch. It was as if a switch had been flipped. Silence fell over the whole room, while seven pairs of eyes focused on Kakashi carrying a wide range of emotions ranging from guilt to surprise.

Sakura was the first to break the silence. Dragging the still unresponsive Neji by the collar, Sakura marched up to Kakashi and loudly announced, "This…this…animal went and got Tenten pregnant!" Neji made no move to defend himself.

"Now hold on a minute Sakura." Lee interrupted. "I understand why you are feeling anxious in this situation, but the creation of life is not something that we should condemn. Instead, we should celebrate Neji for giving us the ultimate demonstration of the passion of youth!"

"Lee's right!" Naruto giggled. "Instead of an animal, you should be calling him the greatest man among men!"

"Cut it you little creep!" Sakura roared causing Naruto to hide behind Lee. "Our mission has effectively been placed on hold because of Tenten's condition. She needs to get back to the village so she can prepare for the baby!"

_Great, just what we need. Another complication, _Kakashi thought to himself. _As if I don't have enough of those already._ Rubbing his aching temples Kakashi mulled over their next course of action. Finally, after what seemed like hours he spoke. "In lieu of this new development, I think the best course of action is to return to our village." Kakashi said. "We need to get a replacement for Tenten, as well as pass on new information we have received. We will depart in three days. In the meantime I want everyone to rest and pack up."

"Before you do that though…" interrupted Yue. "Could you please release San from that sack?"

Due to the shock that came with the news of Tenten's pregnancy, Kakashi had completely forgotten about the wiggling sack. Kakashi nodded to Sasuke, signaling him to release San.

An angry San came bursting forth out of the sack, spewing unintelligible curses at Sasuke, who was completely ignoring him. "Nil- Sama! These ungrateful worms were trying to steal medical supplies!" San shouted.

Yue waved San off, trying to calm down. "Take it easy San. I told them they were free to take any of the medical supplies they needed." She stated.

That was a complete lie, and Kakashi knew it. She had lied to San for their sake. He stubbornly refused to let her kind gesture touch him in any way. Adopting a strict business-like demeanor Kakashi smiled apologetically at San. "I am truly sorry for the trouble my team caused. Rest assured, we meant no harm. To show our sincerity, we will clean up the mess that was made in the hideout." Unable to argue with Kakashi's apology, San merely grunted in agreement before storming out of the kitchen.

Smiling back in an equally distant and cold manner, Yue gave a small bow to the team before saying, "I am terribly sorry for the misunderstanding. You are welcome to anything here. Please replenish your supplies before you leave, and if there is anything we can do to help, please let us know. After all, it is the duty of ninja to support their allies." Kakashi felt a little hurt at her cold demeanor, but quickly pushed that aside. _Why do I care if she is cold?_ He thought to himself. _It would only fit with her character. _

With one final small bow, Yue headed towards the door only to be blocked by Naruto. "Just hang on a minute!" Naruto said. "You are big sister Yue aren't you?"

"Hey Naruto." She said with a big grin. "You've grown up well."

"Well what did you expect?" Asked Naruto proudly.

"Still just as cheeky as ever I see." She said while ruffling his hair.

"Knock it off will you!" Naruto whined. "Stop treating me like a little kid!"

"That doesn't change the fact that you are my little brother." She said while continuing to ruffle his hair.

"Wait, you two know each other?" asked Sakura.

"Oh yeah! Me and big sister Yue go way back!" Naruto beamed, putting his arm around Yue's shoulders.

A sudden wave of jealously swept over Kakashi upon seeing Naruto's arm around Yue. Once again he had to fight off the unwanted emotions. Annoyed at himself and his all too honest reactions, Kakashi stormed out of the kitchen, much like San had previously done.

"So what are you doing all the way out here big sis?" Naruto asked. "It's been so long since I had seen you, I thought you had died or something."

"As if I would die that easily." Yue laughed. "I'm more interested in what you have been doing Naruto. I heard you have made quite the name for yourself." Naruto merely blushed in response. "That's not the Naruto I remember." Yue teased. "How about I make us some ramen and you can tell me all about your life."

"Can I join you?" asked Sakura.

"Don't forget us!" Tenten laughed, dragging Neji and Lee along with her.

"Of course you can join!" Yue smiled. "How about it Sasuke? Want to join as well?"

Sasuke, who had been very quiet thus far scoffed at the invitation. "As if I would want to sit around eating ramen while listening to that idiots life story."

"What was that you jerk?" Naruto yelled.

"You heard me." Sasuke jeered. "While you kids have fun reminiscing, I am going to do something more productive." Grabbing the unconscious Sai, Sasuke hoisted him on his back and headed towards the door.

"That jerk!" Naruto growled. "Always looking down on other people."

"Don't take it too hard Naruto." Yue said gently. "Behind that abrasive wall he puts up is a boy who really did want to join us. He just hasn't figured out how to break that wall yet. Besides, it's a good thing he is taking care of Sai. Someone needed to do it."

~Outside:

Outside Kakashi was leaning against the wall. For all his stubborn determination to remain angry at Yue, he couldn't manage to force himself away from her completely. Even if he couldn't see her, hearing her voice from outside the room was good enough for him. _Damn her,_ he thought to himself._ She still has this annoying effect on me. _

As Kakashi was inwardly cursing himself Sasuke suddenly emerged through the door catching Kakashi completely by surprise. "What gives Kakashi?" Sasuke scoffed. "It's not like you to be startled so easily."

"It's nothing." Kakashi said, feeling his heart rate return to normal. "Are you taking Sai to the medical wing?"

"Someone has to." Sasuke grumbled. "You should probably go treat your leg as well."

"I suppose so." Mused Kakashi.

Just then a terrified San came barreling down the hall. "Get back into the kitchen, NOW!" he yelled as he zoomed past them. Without a moments hesitation Kakashi and Sasuke rounded after the frantic San, arriving at the kitchen just in time to hear his announcement. "Nil-Sama! Neht, Seht, and Yah-sut from the SR-Alliance will be here any minute! They spotted me in the forest before I was able to hide. I just barely managed to lose them but they will surely be here in no time!" he gasped.

Kakashi could see the color drain from Yue's face at the news. "Dammit." She cursed. Rushing to the corner of the kitchen she pulled a large tile from the floor, revealing an underground tunnel. "Every one get inside, and stay quiet. The tunnel should lead you to the beach where there is a boat hidden underneath a pile of shells. Everything you will need is inside that boat. Get to the main land, and no matter what, don't come back here. I will buy you as much time as I can."

One after the other the team members disappeared into the tunnel. "Wait a minute!" Lee said worriedly. "Where is Guy sensei?" Everyone glanced around the room. Ever since Kakashi's angry outburst Guy had been uncharacteristically absent. "We can't leave without him!" Lee cried.

"Get to the beach!" Yue demanded shoving Lee into the tunnel. "I will make sure Guy gets to you safely." Before Lee could protest Yue cut him off. "Have faith in your sensei!" Despite the worried tears running down his face, Lee nodded and took off down the tunnel.

Kakashi was the last person left but was having a hard time forcing himself in to the tunnel. Despite all his anger, and vows to not care about Yue, he still cared. He was worried. More worried than he had ever been before, except not for his own sake. He was worried that the moment he descended into the tunnel would be the last time he ever saw Yue again, and he wasn't ready to say goodbye again.

"I'm staying with you." Kakashi said.

"No! You need to get to the boat!" Yue said firmly. "If they see you, they will know I am a spy. I might be able to convince them if it's just me."

"Then come with me!" Kakashi demanded. "Bring San with us. We can find Guy and escape together."

"I can't abandon my mission." Yue replied.

"And I can't leave you behind!" Kakashi shouted.

"Those kids need you!" Yue argued. "What are they supposed to do without you?"

"What am _I_ supposed to do without _you_?!" Kakashi yelled, pulling Yue into a tight embrace. "I can't lose you again, I just cant." His sudden confession took Yue by surprise and she found that she was lost for words. "I still haven't forgiven you for what you did, but the only way we can work through it is if you are still alive!"

Returning his embrace Yue quietly said, "If I don't finish this mission, then those last ten years that we were separated meant nothing. I said this to Lee and now I'm saying it to you. Have faith in me. I will return to you so you can be angry with me all you want. You can even hold this over my head whenever we have an argument, but the only way it will work is if you let me handle this."

"Still annoying as ever." Kakashi huffed. "I will do what you want, just this time. You have to come back to me."

"Promise." Yue replied. With one final squeeze, Kakashi let go of Yue and dove into the tunnel. "You go too San." Yue said gesturing to the tunnel.

"What about you Nil-sama!" He argued. "You can't take them all on your own! Let me stay to fight along side you!"

"If all goes well there wont be a fight." Yue replied. "I need you to find Guy and take him down to the boat. I don't know how long I will be able to stall them for so you must go quickly."

"But Nil-sama!" He pleaded.

"Go!" Yue hissed shoving him into the tunnel before covering it with the floor tile. "You are the only one who can complete this task for me!"


	20. Chapter 19(Part 2):Attack on the Hideout

**Chapter 19: Attack on the Hideout (Part 2)**

As soon as she heard San's footsteps fade away Yue quickly ravaged the inside of the hideout, destroying all evidence of it having been inhabited recently. Just as she was finishing her final touches she spotted the three ninja only a hundred feet away from the hideout.

_It's go time, _she thought to herself. Making a point to be as loud as possible she kicked over a large desk sending splintered wood and papers scattering across the room. "Who the hell is in here?" She heard a menacing voice say.

"Calm down, It's me." She said in a cold empty voice, very unlike her own. When she was acting as Nil, Yue became a cold, empty, emotionless ninja of few words.

"Oh it's just you." Said a very muscular red haired ninja. "We saw some scum running around in the forest earlier so we followed them here. You haven't seen him by chance have you?"

"No" Yue replied blankly, turning away from him.

"Tough break Neht?" teased a white haired ninja, who otherwise looked exactly identical to the first. "Ol' Nil here still won't give you the time of day huh?"

"Shut up Seht." Growled the red haired ninja. "Who said anything about wanting a empty shell of a human?"

"Who cares when they have a body like this?" leered the white haired ninja as he slipped his hand around Yue's waist.

"If you do not want to lose your life, I suggest you remove your hand immediately." Yue threatened.

"Aww Nilly. You're no fun. Just give me one little kiss." He whined bringing his face closer to Yue's.

"That's quite enough." Said a deep voice behind them that belonged to a very large ninja with yellow hair.

"Buzz off, we're busy." Growled Seht as he continued to loom closer to Yue. Just then a large, metal staff came crashing down onto Seht's head. "Oww! What the hell Yah-sut! Are you trying to start a fight with me?" he yelled.

"Ingrate." The yellow haired ninja scowled. "Next time I won't save your pathetic life."

"What are you going on abou…oh." He stopped mid sentence. Only now did he notice the kunai knife pressed against his neck by Yue. "You've made your point Nil. I surrender." He said raising his hands in defeat. Yue lowered her kunai and placed it back in her holster.

"So what exactly are you doing here?" Yah-sut asked.

"Investigating." Yue answered.

"And what have you found?" Yah-sut inquired.

"Nothing. Abandoned for a while." She responded.

"Lord Orochimaru will probably want to know about this hideout. We could use this as a residence for the people in the alliance." Neht chimed in. Yue didn't say anything.

"Speaking of which, we need to quickly report in with him." Seht added. "You did hear about the meeting he called, right Nil?" Again Yue didn't respond. "Always so verbose." Seht scoffed. "I will take your silence as an affirmation then."

"Let us be off then." Said Yah-sut. "But before we go." He paused raising his metal staff. "Maybe you can explain to us why you reek of the scent of other ninjas, Nil!" he said swinging his staff down at Yue.

Yue expertly sidestepped the staff, all the while retaining Nil's calm, empty persona. "Imagining things." She droned.

"I most certainly am not." Yah-sut replied angrily. "You reek of the same scent of the little insect we spotted earlier, and there are several other scents mixed in there as well."

"Killed the boatman that brought me to this island." Yue coldly responded.

"Now Nillykins, you mustn't lie to us." Seht teased while drawing a chained scythe from his belt. "Naughty girls have to be punished. Yah-sut you go on ahead. Neht and I will handle this."

Yah-sut gave Seht a disapproving look before he withdrew his staff. "Fine. I leave it to you. Make sure you don't kill her. She is Lord Orochimaru's favorite after all." He said as he turned to walk away.

"You hear that Neht?" Seht asked while eyeing Yue greedily. "He told us not to kill her, but he didn't say anything about raping her." He said, licking his lips.

"You will die." Yue said coldly back.

"Now, now Seht. You need to calm down." Neht chuckled. "We need to get answers first before you have your way with her. You are always so impatient. What would our mother say?"

"Dunno really, seeing as she's been dead for years." Seht laughed. "I would think she would want us to continue our family line."

"That may be true, but answers first." Neht agreed. "So what really happened?" Neht asked. All the while Seht was circling Yue. "You can tell us now that Yah-sut is gone."

"Already did." Yue replied icily.

"Sweet Nilly you need to be honest." Seht sneered. "We can tell you are lying." Yue didn't respond again, and instead began walking away.

"And where do you think you are going?" Neht inquired. "You know we haven't finished talking to you."

"Meeting." Yue replied.

Seht quickly blocked Yue's path, holding his scythe up to her neck while wrapping his other arm around her waist. "We can do this the gentle way, or we can do this the rough way Nillykins." He said "Personally I prefer it rough, but Lord Orochimaru will be angry with me if I ruin his pet. Can't you see things our way?"

Suddenly out of the corner of her eye Yue caught a glimpse of a green-clad ninja nearing the hideout. _Dammit Guy! Of all the times places for you to show up! _She thought to herself while trying to come up with a strategy.

Unfortunately she was not the only one who noticed Guy approaching. "Check it out! We have a stray leaf ninja wandering around." Neht smiled evilly. "If he is here there must be others around. Let's go give him a proper SR greeting."

While Neht's back was turned, Yue moved as quick as lightning, grabbing a kunai and plunging it into Seht's throat. The action alone was not enough to kill Seht immediately, but it did injure him enough to put him out of commission while she battled Neht.

At the sound of his bloodied coughs Neht whirled around to find Yue pointing the bloodied kunai at him, and Seht writhing on the floor in a pool of his own blood. "Seht!" He cried out. "You bitch! Just who the hell are you?"

"I guess I didn't give you enough credit." Yue sneered. "Turns out you are smarter than I thought, questioning my identity right away."

"You are going to pay for what you have just done!" Growled Neht as he drew two short swords from his back. "FIRE STYLE: Twin flame blades!" Flames from his two short swords burst forth. "I will burn you into ashes!" He yelled.

"I would like to see you try!" Yue smirked, pulling out her own short sword.

Neht lunged straight for Yue. Yue managed to dodge his attack and swing her own sword at him. Neht deflected her blade with his second short sword. "You got lucky this time, but I promise it wont happen again." He sneered. "FIRE STYLE: Fireball Jutsu!" He yelled.

_Dammit,_ Yue thought to herself. The distance between them wasn't large enough for her to dodge the attack. "WATER STYLE: Raging current jutsu!" she yelled, sending a large stream of water straight into the middle of his jutsu. The stream wasn't big enough to put out the whole flame, but it was big enough to offer her an escape through the hole created by her jutsu. As the water hit the approaching fireball steam was released blocking out all visibility inside the room.

"You can't hide from me inside the steam Nil!" Neht barked. "If I can't see you then I will just burn down the building with you inside it! FIRE STYLE: Fire explosion!" A huge explosion went off inside the room. Yue dove out the window to avoid the explosion, only to come face to face with Neht. "Found you!" He yelled as he managed to make a deep slash into her shoulder. "I will kill you and avenge Seht!"

Yue landed on the ground, clutching her bleeding shoulder. "That's funny, because I seem to recall that he wasn't actually dead yet. You blowing up the building with him inside it probably finished the job though. Ironic don't you think?" She scoffed.

Guy, who had rushed closer upon hearing the fight stood protectively in front of Yue. "Who is that man?" Guy asked.

"You need to get away from here." Yue ordered. "San is looking for you, he should be nearby. Find him. He will know what to do."

"That's crazy talk Yue." Guy gasped. "The day I walk away from a challenge will be the day that I am no longer called Might Guy! Leave this to me!"

"No! This is my mission you need to get away." Yue demanded. "You have your own mission you need to complete."

Before Guy could argue anymore San came running over to Yue's side. "Nil-sama! You are injured!" He yelled.

"San, remember what I told you. You need to get Guy away from here." Yue ordered. Reluctantly San nodded and drug the protesting Guy away. "Now it's just you and me." She said.

"So you are a leaf ninja huh?" Neht smiled maliciously. "How ironic that Lord Orochimaru's favorite pet came from the very village he despises so much. This should be interesting when I tell him."

"I have no intentions of letting you do so." Yue quipped back. "SECRET ART: Storm Surge!" she yelled. A huge swirling funnel of water and ice infused chakra slammed into Neht before he could dodge.

After the debris began to settle from the attack Yue could just barely make out Neht's lifeless form on the ground. Suddenly from above came the deep voice of Yah-sut. "I am impressed Nil. You managed to hide your power from us for so long, much less from Lord Orochimaru. How delighted he will be to hear that the Hidden Light Village actually had a survivor. You are the test subject he has been hoping for. "

"Yah-sut. You sneak. How long have you been lurking there?" Yue scowled.

"I am only a shadow clone." He replied. "My real self is already at the meeting place with Lord Orochimaru. Tell me, how long do you think it will take him to get here once I release my jutsu and tell him about your identity?"

Yue scowled again. Due to the blood loss from her shoulder, and using a considerable amount of chakra in her last attack, Yue knew she would be no match for the combined power of Orochimaru and the remaining SR-Alliance. Since her identity had been compromised Yue knew there was only one thing she could do, and that was to abandon her post and return to the Hidden Leaf.

Before anything else Yue needed to join her comrades on the beach, but to do this would be tricky. Taking out the shadow clone would only send information back to Orochimaru sooner, but not taking him out was just as risky. Even though it was just a clone, he was still very dangerous and could end up hurting the others. No, she would have to take out the clone first before rejoining her peers. "EARTH STYLE: Continental rift!" Yue shouted. The ground beneath the tree where the clone was standing began to crumble. The shadow clone jumped between the falling trees, heading straight towards Yue.

"EARTH STYLE: Earth missile jutsu!" Yue yelled. Chunks of earth began to launch themselves at the approaching shadow clone.

"You will have to do better than that Nil!" scoffed the shadow clone.

"SECRET ART: Shining brilliance jutsu!" Yue chanted. A blinding flash of light washed over the clone, temporarily blinding him. That small moment was just enough time for an earth missile to make contact with the shadow clone, undoing the effects of the jutsu. _I've got to get to the others fast! _Yue thought to herself.

Just as she was turning to leave a chained scythe impaled her right in the middle of her back. The pain was excruciating, but she just managed to stay on her feet. Looking behind her Yue could see a very badly burned Seht smiling victoriously at her, before falling over dead.

_I can't die yet,_ Yue thought to herself. _I promised Kakashi, and the others that I would make it back. I can't break that promise. _She painfully made her way through the trees, going as quickly as her wobbly legs would take her towards the beach.

At the beach~

San and Guy had just made it to the beach where the rest of the team was waiting for them. "Guy sensei you are ok!" Lee cried in relief.

"Where is Yue?" Kakashi asked frantically.

"Nil-sama…or, I mean Yue-sama was fighting against the Neht of the SR-Alliance." Answered San.

"And you just left her there alone?!" Kakashi yelled, turning to run back to the hideout.

"You mustn't go back there!" San yelled, quickly grabbing onto Kakashi. "Yue-Sama told us to wait for her at the boats, so we are going to wait for her!"

"There were three of them though!" Kakashi shouted furiously while trying to wrestle himself free of San's strong grip. _Damn my injured leg!_ "She can't take three of them on her own."

"You are not the only person who cares about her!" roared San. "I am equally as anxious as you, but…" His last few words were cut off as a loud rustling in the bushes put them all on edge. Poised, and ready to attack the ninja's waited for the approaching enemy, but instead Yue came tumbling through the bushes, covered in blood and barely conscious.

"Yue!" Kakashi yelled running over to her, catching her before she fell. "You are such an idiot! Why did you try to take on all three of them by yourself?"

Yue looked up at Kakashi. "Enemy…is coming. Need…to go…now." She gasped.

"Stupid!" Kakashi muttered as he carried her over to the boat. Kakashi gently laid Yue down then turned to the others. "Set sail now! We don't know how soon the enemy will catch up to us. Just hold on Yue. As soon as we are off Sakura can heal you."

Yue smiled feebly back at Kakashi. "Kept…my promise. Came…back." She whispered through ragged breaths.

"Quiet! Save your strength!" Ordered Kakashi.

As he left to help the others prepare to set off, Sakura went over to heal Yue, but was met with an unpleasant surprise. "Kakashi sensei, I can't feel her pulse!"


	21. Chapter 20: Confession

**Chapter 20: Confession**

_Twelve Years Ago…_

Kakashi and Yue had become an inseparable pair. Ever since Yue had barged into his home to make dinner, eating meals together had become a routine thing. Just as she had done the first time, Yue continued to break into his home to cook him food. At first it annoyed Kakashi that she would come and go as she pleased, but after a while he grew accustomed to it, and even found that her enjoyed her spontaneity.

Kakashi walked into his kitchen, pondering what he was going to eat. Yue was on a mission, which meant dinner tonight would be anything but fulfilling. Without Yue around, Kakashi was too lazy to make anything for himself. Looking in his cupboards he was met with a sad lack of food. Fortunately, he had a couple of rice balls left so he decided to make those his meal for the night.

Sitting on the windowsill Kakashi munched on his rice balls while watching the town below him. It was during lonely meals like these that he really understood the importance of having friends around him. After the deaths of Obito, Rin, and his sensei, Kakashi felt like he would never have the warmth of friendship again. That had all changed when he met Yue. He was able to smile and laugh with people again. Most importantly, he had found a new person that he could lean on no matter what the situation.

Finishing the last bite of his rice balls, Kakashi decided to visit the supplies shop to restock. Sitting at home in his empty house had become lonelier to him after meeting Yue, so much so that whenever she was gone he would do anything he could to be out of the house.

Kakashi was in no hurry to get to the supply store so he slowly wandered through the streets. _How funny,_ he thought to himself. _It's been exactly a year today since I met Yue at that competition. _How different his life was now! He couldn't even imagine what his life had been like just a year ago.

After purchasing all his supplies, Kakashi meandered over to his favorite training ground by the lake. Yue and him spent many hours here together training. Laying down on a grassy patch near the waters edge, Kakashi closed his eyes, enjoying the soft breeze that brushed over him. Kakashi laid there perfectly content until he became aware of someone standing over him.

"I thought you would be here." Said a familiar voice.

Opening his eyes Kakashi found Yue smiling down at him. "Oh, your back already?" he asked lazily.

"We finished our mission much sooner than we thought we would." She replied, while plopping down next to him on the grass. The sun was just setting, sending brilliant rays of orange and yellow across the sky. "What a perfect day!" She sighed.

_It is now,_ Kakashi thought to himself. The two laid side by side in the grass until darkness covered the sky, revealing the twinkling stars. A small shiver ran down Kakashi's body as the cool night air swept over him. "It's getting a little cold." Kakashi sighed. "Do you want to come over and have some tea?"

"I actually need to drop off some things at my home." Yue replied. "But if you would like, we can have tea at my house."

Kakashi's heart skipped a beat. It was the first time she had ever invited him over to her house, and he couldn't help but feel a little nervous and excited. _Keep it together!_ Kakashi thought to himself, trying to calm his quickening heart rate. "Fine by me." Kakashi said, in what he hoped to be a casual tone.

Upon arriving at Yue's apartment he let out a small sigh of relief. On their way to the apartment Kakashi had remembered that the Third Hokage was the one who raised her, so he worried slightly that she would lead him back to the Hokage's mansion. Fortunately, she instead brought him to an apartment near the river.

The inside of the apartment was neat, and cozy, and smelled like Yue. The room was decorated with pictures of their friends, and beautifully painted fans of every shape and color. "What's with all the fans?" Kakashi asked, motioning to the numerous fans displayed all around.

"Every time I go to a new village or land I like to get a fan as a souvenir." Yue replied.

Kakashi was taken aback. There must have been about a hundred different fans decorating the apartment. The sheer amount of fans reemphasized just how skilled of a ninja she was and despite knowing that, it still surprised Kakashi. "Why fans?" he asked, still a little shocked.

"Why not?" Asked Yue. "They are small, light, and easy for me to carry which is important as a ninja, but they are also beautiful. Each village has their own unique design or style." She beamed.

"Fair point." Kakashi agreed, as he plopped down on her couch.

"I will have your tea out in just a second." Yue shouted as she disappeard down the hall.

"No worries." Replied Kakashi. Down times like these, where he and Yue could just be together were his favorite. "Do you have a mission tomorrow?" Asked Kakashi.

Yue came into the room carrying a tray with tea and cookies on it. "Nope." She said cheerfully as she set the tray down in front of them. "Gramps gave me the day off."

"Same here." Replied Kakashi as he sipped his tea. He was inwardly celebrating because this meant they could spend the day together.

"Do you want to spend the day together then?" Asked Yue with a smile.

Resisting the huge grin that was threatening to spread across his face Kakashi quickly took another sip of tea before responding. "Sure. What do you want to do?"

"Hmm." Yue pondered. "You know what? I don't really care as long as we are together." She smiled.

Kakashi could feel his pulse rising again. _Damn it! She can't say such cute things like that to me! _ He thought to himself. _I won't be able to control myself. _Kakashi quickly shoved a cookie in his mouth to prevent himself from saying anything embarrassing. During the time it took for him to eat the cookie he was able to regain his composure enough so that his response wouldn't be so silly. "Sounds good to me." He replied.

The two continued talking on late into the night. Kakashi was barely even aware of the hours that had zoomed by. He and Yue were on her floor staring out the window at the stars. Yue was sitting cross-legged on the floor, while Kakashi was lying down with his head resting in her lap. Yue was stroking his hair, which was sending him into a state somewhere between sleep and consciousness.

"Hey Kakashi." Yue said to him.

"Hmm?" Kakashi mumbled.

"It's late. You should go home." She said with a smile.

"Mmm, too comfy." He mumbled, snuggling in even further.

"I wish I could say the same." She chuckled as she pinched the tip of his nose. "My legs are falling asleep."

"Just five more minutes." He sleepily whined. "I don't wanna move yet."

"I bet the rest of the town would love to see this." Yue teased. "Cool Kakashi Hatake acting like a little kid when he's sleepy."

"It's only because I'm with you." Kakashi sighed, before suddenly staring very seriously into Yue's eyes.

"What's with the sudden change?" Yue asked, a little startled by the sudden switch.

"You know, I think I have fallen in love with you." Kakashi whispered. "Will you let me love you?"

This time it was Yue that had to calm herself down. Feeling a blush creeping up her cheeks she turned her gaze away from him so he couldn't see. "Th-that came out of nowhere." She stuttered.

"Don't turn away from me." Kakashi quietly said. "I want to hear your answer."

Yue shyly turned her face back towards Kakashi. Kakashi could see a faint pink flush spread across her cheeks. "Isn't my answer obvious?" Yue timidly replied. "Of course I want to be loved by you."

Kakashi felt like he could hear a chorus of angels singing all around him. Smiling up at Yue he gently pulled her face towards his own till their lips met in a soft kiss. After the kiss ended Kakashi grinned up at Yue and said, "So can I stay here just a little longer?"

Yue looked away from him, and Kakashi could tell that her cheeks were bright red. "You are a sly man Kakashi Hatake." She muttered, but made no signs of moving.

Kakashi let out a small laugh, and snuggled back down. _Life really can't get any better than this,_ he thought to himself as he dozed off to sleep.

~~~~~~Today's musical muse: All My Life by KC and Jojo.

~~~~~~~~Side note: after this week my life is going to be hectic for the next month, and I have no idea how often I will be able to upload(if at all.) To make it up to you, I am trying to upload like crazy _this_ week while I have some time.


	22. Chapter 21:A Glimpse Behind the Byakugan

**Chapter 21: A Glimpse Behind the Byakugan**

_A Neji Story:_

_Pregnant. Tenten is pregnant. I got her pregnant. She is going to have a baby. My baby. Babies... Those pink, squishy, noisy things. You can't talk to them. They won't talk back. You have to bathe them, and feed them, and care for them. You never get enough sleep, much less having any alone time … Just what the hell have I gotten myself into?_ Neji thought to himself.

When Tenten had first delivered the news of her pregnancy, Neji couldn't decide whether it was a joke or not. Sure they had been having a lot of sex, but he had always made sure to pull out in time…or so he thought. No, this must have all been a big joke Tenten had cooked up in order to make him laugh.

Disregarding the panic that was slowly creeping its way to the surface Neji laughed and pulled Tenten into a hug. "Alright Tenten you got me. It's your win." He said. Ever since Neji had been resurrected, Tenten had made it her mission to get Neji to laugh everyday. It had almost become a sort of contest.

Tenten wiggled free from Neji's embrace. Looking into her eyes Neji could see that there was no hint of humor in them; rather she looked a little hurt. "I am not joking right now Neji." Tenten said firmly. "I am pregnant with your child. Sakura confirmed it for me today."

Neji felt like the world had just crumbled beneath his feet. Sure he loved Tenten and had wished to start a family together one-day, but not now. They were only eighteen. They were still in the prime of their youth, and Neji felt like there were so many things he still needed to accomplish.

Tenten looked at him with a worried expression. "Are you ok Neji? Hello? Earth to Neji!"

Neji finally snapped out of his inner panicking and focused on Tenten. He could still feel his heart thumping like crazy, but right now he needed to talk to Tenten. To figure things out. "H..how far along are you?"

"Sakura guessed about four weeks." Tenten replied. "We are still in the delicate phase where chances of losing the baby are high."

"You could lose the baby?" Asked Neji, secretly a little relieved.

Tenten knew him well enough to sense his relief. "Do you not want this baby?" Tenten asked.

"It's not that I don't want a baby with you, it's just…" Neji paused. "Becoming a mother means you will have to stop being a ninja. Are you ok with that?"

Neji could tell right away this wasn't the answer Tenten was hoping for. "Of course I am upset that I will have to give up being a ninja!" Tenten roared. "But I would be more upset to lose this baby!"

"But we are young! We still have our whole lives ahead of us!" Neji argued.

"In case you have forgotten, you died once already!" Tenten yelled back as angry tears streamed down her face. "You can't say we have our whole lives ahead of us, because death can come at any second!"

"That's why I am trying to live life to the fullest! There are so many things I want to do before I die! Having a baby will get in the way of that!" Neji barked back.

"I'm sorry to tell you this, but we really don't have any choice in the matter anymore!" Tenten hissed. "If having this baby means your dreams will be crushed then you can go live your dreams without me!" she said storming towards the kitchen door. "Oh and by the way, the girls who aren't ninja in the village are married and have kids by the time they are fourteen. So don't give me any of your 'we are too young' crap." With a final angry huff, Tenten disappeared through the kitchen door leaving Neji standing alone in the hallway.

_She makes absolutely no sense!_ Neji grumbled to himself. _She is the one who is trying to get me to live life to fullest everyday. Now that there's a stupid baby in the picture she is angry at me for being upset at NOT getting to live life to the fullest each day. _

As he was fumbling through millions of thoughts, Sakura came storming up to him. "Tenten said you told her you didn't want the baby!" Sakura yelled, grabbing Neji by the collar. "You have no right to be angry with her!"

Neji could tell this was going to be an epic lecture from Sakura and clued out. Her angry lecturing was the least of his concerns at the moment. Getting lost in his own thoughts once again, Neji was only barely aware of himself being drug to the kitchen by Sakura.

_What am I going to do? Tenten can take care of the baby on her own, but what kind of jerk would leave his own child and its mother? I don't know the first thing about taking care of kids. I will be a terrible father. Will the child be born under the Hyuga curse too? Will it have to suffer the same fate that me, and my father had to? How will we pay to support it? Tenten can't work so I will have to take on extra jobs just to feed us. Does this mean we have to get married now?_

Thought after thought whizzed through his mind until his thoughts were suddenly disrupted by Tenten, who was dragging him over to a table with the others to eat ramen. _I guess she is playing nice while others are around,_ he thought to himself. He did his best to act normal as he tried to focus in on the conversation.

Suddenly a loud racket could be heard from the hall as well as the sound of thundering footsteps quickly approaching them. Without thinking his body jumped in front of Tenten to protect her. Just then San came barreling into the room covered in sweat and looking panicked.

"Nil-Sama! Neht, Seht, and Yah-sut from the SR-Alliance will be here any minute! They spotted me in the forest before I was able to hide. I just barely managed to lose them but they will surely be here in no time!" San gasped.

The room exploded into motion. Yue was barking orders to everyone and had removed a tile from the floor, revealing a secret tunnel. Neji was the first to hop down into the tunnel, and quickly scanned it with his Byakugan. Finding no signs of danger he announced it to the rest, who quickly made their own descent into the tunnel.

Before she could hop down on her own, Neji quickly grabbed Tenten and set her down on the tunnels floor gently. Tenten gave him a quizzical look, but didn't say anything about it.

The tunnel was dark and cramped. Neji was first to go through the tunnel as he could see best with his Byakugan. Holding her hand, Neji led Tenten through the tunnel making sure she didn't trip over anything.

Exiting the tunnel, the group quickly found the hidden boat that Yue had spoken about. After the boat was uncovered, the group brought the boat to the waters edge, and slowly pushed it in. Before it had completely entered the water, Neji quickly picked up Tenten and gently set her inside the boat. "Seriously Neji!" Tenten gripped. "I am not an invalid, I can do things on my own!"

Neji hadn't actually thought about any of the things he was doing, rather his body was just acting for him. Pushing that aside he told Tenten to stay in the boat before rejoining the rest of the team in their preparations to set sail.

It seemed as if hours had gone by when Guy and San finally showed up at the beach. "Are we all set to go now?" Asked Lee.

"No! Yue still hasn't made it yet!" replied Kakashi anxiously.

After Yue finally appeared at the beach, the team set sail. Neji sat down by Tenten at the front of the boat. "So what was all that about?" asked Tenten cautiously.

"What was what about?" Asked Neji.

"You know, the over protectiveness." She replied.

Neji hadn't thought about it before, but it finally dawned on him that his body must have been trying to protect Tenten and his baby. "I…don't know." Neji finally answered.

"You know, for someone who said they didn't want to be a father, your actions are showing the exact opposite." Giggled Tenten softly.

"I don't know. My body just reacted." Neji huffed.

"I know you are worried about being a father, and I know we said that we would live our lives to the fullest, but don't you think being parents is experiencing all the wonders of life?" Tenten asked quietly.

Neji sighed. Even though he wasn't confident about being a father, he knew that it was an obstacle he was going to have to face anyway. "You have to change all the diapers." He mumbled.

"No way." She replied, in a mock scorn, before snuggling into his side. "For what it's worth, I think you will be a great father."

_We'll see,_ thought Neji to himself. _We will see._


	23. Chapter 22: Reality Check

**Chapter 22: Reality Check**

_Present Day~_

Kakashi sat alone in his dark apartment. He made no attempt to turn on the lights and remained sitting on the cold hard floor by his front door. The return trip home proved to be harder than anyone could have predicted, and had taken more from him than anyone could have imagined.

The group had managed to slip away from their enemy, and restocked their supplies in the Cloud Village. While they were stopped, Sakura was able to give emergency first aide to Yue. Yue wasn't completely healed, but she was well enough to travel and insisted that they return immediately.

That's when everything took a turn for the worse. Enemy ninja led by Yah-sut of the SR-Alliance attacked the team just ten miles outside of the village. Yue, who was the only one powerful enough to challenge him, had to fight him in her weakened condition, while the others took out the rest of the enemy party. Blades drawn and attacks exchanged, Yue and Yah-sut faced off exchanging blow after blow.

Kakashi had just taken down the last enemy ninja and headed over to back up Yue, however, he arrived too late. The fight was already over and Yah-sut lay dead on the ground. Kakashi let out a sigh of relief. The dust from Yue's final attack was just beginning to settle. Kakashi had to squint to try and find Yue.

As the dust continued to settle Kakashi was met with an unpleasant surprise. He was finally able to see Yue clearly, but to his horror she was completely covered in blood, and barely standing.

He ran over to her, catching her just in time before she fell. Now that he was closer he was able to see the extent of her wounds. The whole left side of her body had been burned. She had numerous fractures, and cuts ranging from shallow nicks to deep lacerations exposing her bones. Those weren't the real problem though. She had numerous broken ribs, many of which had punctured her right lung.

Gasping for air and barely conscious, Kakashi knew she did not have long to live if she wasn't treated immediately. Kakashi scanned the field, looking for Sakura. To his dismay he found her, but she was badly injured, and completely unconscious. The only way he could save her now was if he got her to the village, and fast!

Picking her up, he took off at top speed, all the while whispering words of encouragement to Yue. "Don't you dare die on me!" He said to Yue, trying to be as calm as possible. "We are almost there. Keep your eyes open."

Due to her punctured lung, Yue wasn't able to speak. Instead, she would weakly squeeze his shoulder from time to time to let him know she was still awake and alive. Despite all of her effort, Yue just made it to the front gates of the village before she took her last breath. Kakashi refused to believe that she was gone. Still carrying her, he ran straight for the Hokage's mansion, taking her straight to Lady Tsunade.

Upon examining her, Lady Tsunade shook her head with a sad frown. "I'm sorry Kakashi. There's nothing I can do. She is already gone." She said sympathetically.

Everything froze. It was as if time had stopped all together. Kakashi's world ceased to exist. "She can't be." He whispered. "She just can't be." Kakashi dropped to his knees, sobbing uncontrollably. "She promised we would be together. We were supposed to spend the rest of our lives together!" he wailed, hugging her lifeless body close to him.

It took five people to pry Kakashi away from Yue's body. As they wheeled her away Kakashi sank to the floor, unmoving, unfeeling, uncaring. The last piece of him that had survived through countless losses snapped, and he was left as a hollow shell of a human, ready to give up on life.

Back in his apartment Kakashi was still sitting on the floor. He didn't know how long he had been sitting there, nor did he care. Guy and many others would come by to check on him from time to time. They would try to get him to eat, or even to move from his spot, but he never did. He merely stared at the blank wall, wishing for his death.

All of the sudden the floors began to shake quickly followed by the walls and everything else around him. _An earthquake? Just perfect,_ thought Kakashi to himself. Kakashi made no attempts to move until a particularly strong shake toppled him over.

Kakashi woke with a start, completely covered in a cold sweat. Looking around frantically he found that he was not sitting at home in the hallway, but in a hospital room next to a bed where Yue was sleeping.

Relief spread over him and Kakashi began to focus more on the situation at hand. Kakashi realized that he was indeed being shaken, but not by an earthquake. Naruto was shaking Kakashi by the shoulders, apparently trying to wake him from his dream. "Kakashi sensei wake UP!" he roared.

"I'm awake Naruto." Kakashi grumbled. "What do you want?"

"You were crying while you were sleeping so I panicked." Naruto replied.

"You must have been imagining things." Kakashi replied.

"No I wasn't!" Naruto yelled in protest. "You were moaning and crying in your sleep! You saw it too didn't you Sakura?"

"Shut up Naruto!" scolded Sakura. "Or have you forgotten that you are in a hospital right now?"

"Eek! Sorry Sakura!" Naruto squeaked. "I'll leave now so you can work!" he said while escaping through the window.

"Can't you use the door?" Sakura hissed after him. Then turning on Kakashi she gave him an empathetic smile. "Naruto's right though sensei. You _were_ moaning and crying in your sleep. What were you dreaming about."

"My worst nightmare." Kakashi replied, reaching for Yue's hand.

"I can probably guess what it was about." Sakura replied quietly, glancing over at Yue. "She will be ok, Kakashi sensei."

Kakashi nodded in response. Holding on to Yue's small hand, Kakashi looked down at her sleeping face, sending out silent prayers of thanks.

"She was banged up pretty badly, but I was able to keep her stable till we got back here to the village sensei." Sakura said. "She got lucky. All of her injuries just barely missed her vital organs. Had any of them been even a millimeter deeper then there would have been nothing I could do for her."

"Thank you Sakura." Kakashi whispered, fighting to hold back the tears that were threatening to escape. "There are no words to say how thankful I am."

"It was my pleasure." Sakura replied. "After all, Yue was the one who saved all of our lives. I have never seen any one fight like her, much less use such a powerful jutsu like the last one she did. I think Naruto is the only one who could ever rival her in both power and shock value." Sakura chuckled.

"Like her last jutsu?" Kakashi asked puzzled. "What are you talking about?"

"You don't remember what happened?" Sakura asked surprised. "We were attacked just ten miles outside of the village. That Yah-sut guy showed up along with a huge party of enemy ninja. There must have been fifty of them altogether."

"No, I don't remember anything after setting sail from the island." Kakashi replied.

"It was amazing! I wish you could remember it sensei." Sakura beamed. "We all split up to fight the enemies. We tried to cause a diversion so Neji and Tenten could slip away, except the enemy saw through it and went straight for them. You just barely managed to stop them in time for Neji and Tenten to make their escape."

"That doesn't explain what Yue was doing. As an injured person, wouldn't we have sent her away as well?" asked Kakashi.

"We didn't have enough time to get both her and Tenten away so I stayed with her, while you and the rest fought off the enemy ninja." Sakura answered. "That Yah-sut guy was a real creep. He was just sitting back watching until he noticed your back was turned. He went in to secretly attack you, but then Yue jumped out to save you. It was beautiful! This bright light shone from her body blinding everyone, and then when the light faded all the enemies were dead. She took them out in one blow!" Sakura said practically gushing.

"What happened next?" Kakashi asked.

"Well apparently that attack takes quite a toll on her cuz she passed out right after that." Sakura said. "It was really scary actually. I couldn't feel any chakra in her at all and her heartbeat was getting weaker. We almost lost her then. That's when you suddenly passed out." Sakura paused for a moment. "You probably forgot everything because of traumatic shock." She mused. "In any case, Guy carried you on his back, and I was able to give her some of my chakra to hold her over till we returned to the village."

"So she will be alright now?" asked Kakashi.

"Yes, she should be fine. She will probably have to stay here a couple more days, but first we are just waiting for her to wake up." Sakura replied with a smile. "I have some other patients to check on, so I will leave you to look after her sensei. If you need anything you can call for me." Sakura said as she exited the room.

Kakashi turned his attention back to Yue sleeping on the bed. "Thank you for keeping your promise. Thank you for coming back to me." He whispered.

"You're welcome." Said a horse voice. Yue had just barely woken and was still squinting, getting used to the light.

"You are awake!" Kakashi said with a relieved sigh.

"Alive and kicking." Replied a scratchy voice. Kakashi helped her to a sitting position and handed her a cup of water. Yue took a small sip of water before speaking to Kakashi again. "When was the last time you slept? You look terrible."

_There's a very good reason for that,_ Kakashi thought to himself, but decided it would be best not to share that information with her. "And just who do you think is the reason I look like this?" Kakashi asked in a mock angry tone.

"Guilty." She replied softly while taking another sip of water. "You should go home and rest. I'm fine now."

"I'm not going anywhere." Kakashi replied. "I can sleep just fine here." Kakashi argued.

"So stubborn." Yue sighed, as she leaned back into her cushions. "Let's ask for another bed or something at least." Yue frowned.

"We don't need another bed." Kakashi smirked. "I've got a bed right here." He said as he climbed into the bed with Yue.

Yue chuckled lightly scooting over to make more room for Kakashi. When he was settled she quietly whispered, "I missed you."

Kakashi wrapped his arms around her, drawing her in closer so her head was resting on his shoulder. "I missed you too." He sighed contently. "This doesn't mean I've forgiven you completely for the mind seal though." He muttered.

"I know." Yue replied. "I will spend the rest of my life making it up to you."

"You just promised that you will give me the rest of your life." Said Kakashi sleepily. "I am going to hold you to those words."

"I will be sure not to disappoint." Yue yawned back. Together the two fell asleep wrapped in each other's arms, completely content.


	24. Chapter 23: Mission Reassigned

**Chapter 23: Mission Reassigned **

It had been a whirlwind of a week for Yue. A constant barrage of visitors gave Yue little time to sleep, which in turn was slowing her recovery. Yue, who had never been known for having great patience, was quickly getting fed up with her extended hospital stay.

"If I have to stay here even one more day, I swear I am going to go crazy!" Yue groaned, as Kakashi handed her a glass of water.

"Worrying about it will do you no good." Kakashi chuckled. "If you don't calm down you will have to stay here even longer."

"Unless you helped me escape." Said Yue with a charming smile.

"Don't try to act cute with me." Kakashi smiled back, sitting next to her on the bed. "You know I can't refuse you when you are acting cute."

"Which is why I do it." Smiled Yue seductively as she pulled Kakashi to her kissing him softly on the lips. "How about now?"

"You drive a hard bargain, but I am still saying no." chuckled Kakashi.

"You're no fun at all." Yue pouted. "Well if you aren't going to help me escape, can you at least bring me some strawberries? I have been craving them!" Kissing her lightly on the forehead Kakashi left the room to go get the strawberries for her. "Guy, I know you're there. Why don't you come in, Kakashi is gone now."

Guy quietly climbed through the window, looking embarrassed. "So you knew I was here?" Guy asked.

"It wasn't hard to figure out." Yue replied. "Why didn't you come in? Are you still worried about Kakashi?"

Guy scratched his head. "It's not…I don't know."

"You are unusually passive right now." Yue smiled gently. "Why don't you try talking to him? Kakashi knows you did it for his sake. His pride may get the better of him, but he still really does trust you unconditionally."

Guy looked uncertain. "Has he forgiven you?" he asked timidly.

"Not entirely." Yue answered. "Speaking of forgiveness, I owe you an apology Guy. You are only in this mess because of me. So I am sorry, and thank you for being a good friend."

"I don't blame you Yue." Guy sighed. "I just wish I knew what to do right now. I'm not used to being shy or trying avoid people."

Yue chuckled lightly. "Avoiding people? You are a ninja Guy, it kind of comes with the job."

"You know what I meant!" Guy growled. "I am used to challenging Kakashi to fiery contests of youth, where we lay everything on the line to prove that we are true hot blooded men!"

"Please tell me that is not why you are here right now." Said a voice from the doorway.

Guy did comical jump at the sound of the voice. "Kakashi! You're here!"

"Where else would I be?" Kakashi asked in a guarded voice. Kakashi and Guy faced off across the room. Neither saying anything else to each other, or making a move.

"It's time for my daily circulation therapy." Yue said, grabbing her crutches and hoisting herself off the bed. "I'm going to find Sakura."

"Let me help you." Kakashi said, rushing to her side.

"No. I am never going to get better if you keep coddling me." Yue said, gently brushing Kakashi's hand away. "You stay here."

As the click of the door closing after Yue was heard, an almost palpable silence fell over the room. Kakashi and Guy abruptly turned so they were no longer facing each other. Only after they had turned away did Kakashi break the silence. "So what are you doing here?" he asked cautiously.

"I was checking in on Yue." Guy answered.

"And you didn't think to use the door?" Asked Kakashi. "I guess that's like you."

"Kakashi I…" Guy trailed off.

"You don't need to say anything." Kakashi said interrupting Guy. "Yue already explained everything to me."

"I still need to say sorry though." Guy replied. "You have to know how much I hated lying to you!"

"Stop, I know!" Kakashi said waving off Guy's protests. "I don't hold it against you Guy, so stop this. It's creeping me out."

Guy was touched at Kakashi's forgiving words. So touched in fact that he began bawling furiously. "Thank you Kakashi! I never knew my rival is such a kind, forgiving man!" Guy sobbed, clinging to Kakashi's vest.

"Ugh! Stop that!" Kakashi griped, trying to pry Guy off of himself. "Get a hold of yourself! You are getting snot all over me."

"You're a good guy Kakashi!" Guy sniffed, giving Kakashi his trademark grin and thumbs up combo. "Let's celebrate our rekindled friendship by doing one hundred laps around the village on our hands!"

"Not a chance." Said Kakashi as he pushed Guy out the window. "Yue should be back soon, and you are anything but good for recovery."

"Ah come one! My fiery passion is sure to lift her spirits, and bring her around." Guy cheered, trying to climb back in the window.

"Get!" Yelled Kakashi. With one final shove, Guy fell back through the window, and Kakashi slammed it shut, locking it for good measure. _He sure is a handful,_ Kakashi thought to himself.

"I'm glad to see you made up." Said a voice from the doorway.

"Were you lurking outside the whole time?" Kakashi asked, unsurprised.

"Do you think I was?" Asked Yue.

"Always so cheeky." Kakashi muttered, turning to embrace Yue. "You know I hate it when you answer a question with a question."

"You love it." Yue smiled back.

Just as Kakashi was leaning in for a kiss a voice at the door interrupted them. "Hate to ruin the moment but we need to talk."

The two turned to see Lady Tsunade standing the doorway, with Shizune lurking silently behind her, face bright red. "And to what do we owe this pleasure Lady Tsunade?" asked Yue, gently pushing Kakashi away.

"I'm sorry I haven't been here to see you sooner, but we have many things to discuss." Tsunade replied walking into the room followed by Shizune who closed the door behind her.

"I take it this information is highly classified?" asked Kakashi with a knowing look.

"The information I am looking for must not be shared with anyone else besides those in this room." Tsunade said. "Yue, I have read the documents that the Third left concerning your mission so I am familiar with what you were doing. The information I have isn't up to date though. The most recent reports I have though are from three years ago. Have you sent any reports since then?" asked Tsunade.

"I have been sending reports every three months as the Third ordered me to. If you haven't received any reports for the past three years, that must mean the information has been intercepted by someone, and therefore my mission was compromised." Yue replied seriously.

"That is exactly what I was thinking." Tsunade growled. "The question now is _who _was intercepting the information."

"My first thought would be Danzo." Kakashi stated. "But he is dead now, so who else could have had a part in it?"

"That was my first thought too." Replied Tsunade. "Ever since I noticed the abnormality I have had someone secretly investigating Danzo in relation to this case."

"The problem is…" added Shizune. "The person we had tailing Danzo has gone missing as well. We haven't been able to find him, which means it is safe to say he is dead."

"That would indeed make things more difficult." Kakashi groaned. All the while Yue had been sitting, quietly pondering to herself.

"Have you thought of anything Yue?" Asked Tsunade.

"The reports I sent in went to a man named Eisuke. I think his code name was Shun. Do either names mean anything to you?" asked Yue.

"Eisuke, that name doesn't ring a bell. Was he a member of the ANBU?" Shizune asked.

"To my knowledge he was a private soldier to the Third. He wasn't registered as an ANBU." Replied Yue.

"Then how did you keep in contact with him?" Asked Lady Tsunade.

"We had a strict system of communication that we rotated through. Using the same means every time would have been suspicious so we used a sort of rotation for methods." Yue answered. "No message was sent out the same way. We used carrier pigeons, messenger jutsu's, floated messages back and forth. It was always changing."

"Could this Eisuke guy have been the one keeping the messages then after the Third died?" Asked Kakashi.

"It's possible." Mumbled Tsunade. "If he was a truly devoted soldier to the Third, he may not have trusted me to handle the situation. Shizune, gather a squad of ANBU. Their mission is to hunt down this Eisuke/Shun guy."With a nod and a quick glance back a Kakashi Shizune disappeared from the room. "Now Yue, I need you to tell me everything that happened on your mission. Start from the beginning."

Yue began her long tale giving as many details as possible, while Tsunade and Kakashi listened in.

_Ten years ago I left the village on the Thirds orders to research the R-Alliance. The R-alliance is a group of rogue shinobi whose goal is to take revenge on the villages that made them outcasts. I infiltrated their ranks under the guise of a ninja who had no memories, no emotions, and no place to call home. As a whole, the R-alliance really did not pose much of a threat. None of the rogue ninjas could do any real damage._

_That's where Orochimaru discovered me. Knowing that he was after my particular chakra nature, I made sure to mask my chakra, and convince him that I was an Ice/Void style ninja. Still rare powers, but not giving away my true identity. He took great interest in my particular powers so after one year in the R-Alliance, Orochimaru promoted me into the SR-Alliance and gave me the name, Nil of the void._

_The SR-Alliance is made up of S-class rogue ninja who rival the skills that the Akatsuki possessed. There were only seven members of the alliance, Orochimaru and myself included. The members of the SR-Alliance can all be found in the bingo books. Hana of the Stone, Dool of the Mist, Seht and Neht, the twins of the sand, and Yah-sut of the Cloud._

_Orochimaru was planning the destruction of the Akatsuki, and later the total annihilation of the Leaf Village using the SR-Alliance. His plans were put on hold, however, when Sasuke killed him, or so we believed. In his absence Hana took over, but the mission remained the same. Destroying the Akatsuki, and then the Leaf. Her wishes extended beyond the Leaf though. She began putting forth plans to dominate the whole world. Those plans too were put on hold by the Fourth Great Ninja War, which the SR-Alliance took no part of I am ashamed to admit._

_After the war, we heard news of Orochimaru's return. Orochimaru made contact with me, and called for a meeting on the abandoned island at the ruins of my old village. I sent out word to the members of the SR-Alliance and made my way to the meeting point. That is when I ran into teams Guy and Kakashi who were nearing the island. Some of the members were in bad shape so I broke mission orders and revealed myself to them, taking them back to my hideout on the island to treat them._

_My subordinate San was spotted by them, so we had to abandon our post and leave, but not before a fight broke out. Managed to take down Neht and Shet there on the island. Yah-sut discovered my true identity so I had to abandon my mission._

_We were almost back to the village when Yah-sut caught up to us, and a new fight ensued. In the end we were able to take him down as well. The only surviving members should be Hana and Dool, who are unfortunately the strongest members. I would venture to say they are stronger than Orochimaru himself._

When Yue's story finally ended Tsunade let out an exasperated sigh. "I'm relieved to hear that you managed to take out three of the alliance, but that doesn't change the fact that Orochimaru knows who you really are now. He will come after you for sure to try and steal your chakra nature. You're mission was a failure." Tsunade grumbled running a hand through her hair.

"I am terribly sorry Lady Tsunade." Yue bowed. "I will take full responsibility for my failure." Kakashi looked at her worriedly.

"You don't need to worry about that." Tsunade replied gently. "You may have failed your mission, but you did save the lives of two whole squads. That, to me, more than excuses you of your failed mission."

"Lady Tsunade." Yue said gratefully.

"Besides that, I would hate to take you away from Kakashi. Since you came back I have been able to see many different sides to him I haven't before." She winked.

Kakashi blushed bright red, but tried to act as if she had said nothing. "Lady Tsunade I was wondering something." Kakashi began. "What is to be done with Team Kakashi and Team Guy? With Tenten pregnant we will need a new squad member."

"I bet I can guess who you would like to take the spot." Tsunade grinned. "Actually, I am calling off that mission for the time being. Now that Orochimaru knows who Yue is, it is safe to bet that he will try attacking the village to get her back. I need your two teams stationed here in the village in case that happens."

Kakashi felt a huge weight lifted off his shoulders. He was dreading being sent back out on the mission, having to part ways with Yue again. It was Yue who broke the silence first though. "And what would you have me do Lady Tsunade?" She asked.

"Since you are our number one priority to protect, I want you to remain in the village. You have been gone for ten years and much has changed. Take some time off to familiarize yourself with the village. I will send word for you when I have decided on your next mission." She replied.

"And what about my subordinate San?" Yue asked. "He is a rogue ninja from another village. Will you grant him pardon into our village?"

"If you trust him then I will allow it." Tsunade replied. "The Third held you in the highest esteem judging my the notes he left. If he trusted your judgment then I shall too." She said heading for the door. "One last thing." She said eyeing both Kakashi and Yue. "I trust you two know how precarious the situation is. Do not do anything to place Yue in a more vulnerable state." She said with a knowing look.

"Understood Milady." The two said together with a bow as she exited the room.

As soon as the door shut Yue burst out into laughter. "Just what is so funny?" asked a bewildered Kakashi.

Wiping the tears from her eyes Yue composed herself before saying, "Gramps said the same exact thing to me on the day I was assigned the mission. I guess a lot of people are concerned about us."

"With good reason." Kakashi purred seductively. Picking up Yue he placed her on the bed before climbing on top of her. Straddling her, he looked down at her with a sultry grin. "Maybe we should test fate?" he asked before sealing his lips over hers.

Tongues entwined and breaths ragged, the two stayed pressed together until the sound of the door interrupted their passionate exchange. "Yue-san! Kakashi sensei! Lady Tsunade just warned you about being careful!" Sakura shrieked running out the door, face flushed in embarrassment.

"We were just getting to the good part though." Kakashi grumbled.

"She makes a good point though Kakashi." Yue laughed. "I haven't taken any Daucus seeds in years so it would be a major gamble."

"What am I supposed to do about the problem at hand though?" Kakashi asked nodding to his lower region.

Yue could see a bulge forming from his pants and let out another snicker. "Unfortunately you are going to have to take care of that little problem yourself." She said in between giggles. "Hokage's orders."

"Little?" Kakashi asked in mock offense. Yue merely laughed in response. Kakashi sighed as he removed himself from the bed and headed towards the door. "I will take care of this _big_ problem right now, but this is the last time. You better get some Daucus seeds in your system, because I can't guarantee my self-control will last must longer." He griped.

Yue chuckled to herself as she watched Kakashi disappear through the door. _That Kakashi,_ she thought to herself. _If I'm not careful I will end up like Tenten soon. _Thinking of Tenten made Yue slightly sad. _I wonder if there will ever be a time when Kakashi and I can start a family?_ Yue slumped back into her pillows and gazed out the window. Her expression darkened as she pondered many unspoken worries she carried in her heart.

~~~~~~~Historical Fact: Daucus carota, also known as Queen Anne's Lace, is a plant that was used in olden times as a type of contraceptive. As Naruto takes place in the distant past, I figured it was more logical to use herbal contraceptives as opposed to modern day contraceptives (i.e. birth control pills/condoms)


	25. Chapter 24: Living Arrangements

**Chapter 24: Living Arrangements **

The day of Yue's release from the hospital brought with it many joys as well as many questions. True to his word, the Third Hokage had made sure to keep her home intact, and untouched. With nowhere else to go, Yue decided to move back into that home.

Taking a deep breath she walked through the front door, expecting to see a thick layer of dust covering her belongings. To her surprise she found it spotless, looking no different than it had the day she left. "Did you take care of this place all this time?" Yue asked Kakashi.

Kakashi looked embarrassed. "I couldn't bring myself to neglect it." He finally admitted. "I always slightly hoped that one day you would suddenly be here."

Yue was touched. "Do I really deserve you?" She asked, wrapping her arms around Kakashi's waist.

"You pass." Kakashi teased, placing a soft kiss on her lips, followed by another, then another. Gradually the kisses became more intense as Kakashi's tongue brushed against her bottom teeth, begging for entrance.

Yue instead broke the kiss and lightly pushed Kakashi back. "We can't do this right now. San will be here any minute." She said with a small gasp for air.

"Why is he coming over here?" Kakashi asked. Yue looked uncomfortable for a moment, refusing to meet his gaze. "What is it?" asked Kakashi concerned.

"Well…" Yue paused. "Please try to be understanding when I tell you this." She said cautiously. "Since San is a rogue ninja from another village, he has no place to stay here. I said that he could stay with me here until we found him a suitable place." Yue braced herself for the inevitable angry protests Kakashi was going to shout.

True to her expectations Kakashi's face darkened at her words. "You are letting San live with you?!" he roared.

"Just until we can find him a nice place of his own!" Yue replied. "I have lived with San for the past eight years. Frankly speaking, it's completely normal to me."

Right away Yue knew this was not the right thing to have said. "So you are content living with just any random guy?!" Kakashi yelled. Yue felt it was best not to argue that San wasn't just "any random guy." "Not only that, but you are letting him live in_ our_ house?"

"Where else is he supposed to go?" asked Yue quietly.

"Where the hell has he been staying up until now?" Kakashi hissed. "Can't he keep staying where he is?"

"He has been sleeping on the roof of the hospital." Yue said sadly. "San feels that he must repay some sort of debt to me. He refused to be apart from my side while I was recovering, but also didn't want to get in your way out of respect for you."

Unintentionally Kakashi felt somewhat pacified at her words, though not enough to appease his anger. "But why does it have to be here? Couldn't you have asked me to set him up for a while?" he huffed.

"I didn't think of that." Yue admitted. "He's like family to me. When your family is in trouble you just act."

"Well think about it now!" Kakashi grumbled.

"Can you help San out till we find him a place then?" Yue asked.

Pondering silently Kakashi suddenly came up with a solution. The frown that had been on his face gradually turned into a smirk, and Yue knew she was in for quite the ordeal. "I've got an idea." Kakashi announced. "San can have my place."

Yue knew where this was going, but decided to ask anyway. "Where are you going to go then?" she asked.

"Isn't it obvious? I will live here with you!" He answered.

_I bet he's been scheming this for a long time,_ thought Yue to herself. _This gave him the perfect opportunity to make his move._ Not wanting to lose to him Yue said, "Fine, on one condition. You can't bring those books Jiraya gave you."

Kakashi was taken aback for a moment at the random demand. It had definitely not been the reply he had been expecting. Grinning he responded back, "Why would I need them when I can practice what's inside them now?" he stated with a lascivious look at Yue.

Yue rolled her eyes. "Whatever, lecher. Fine, you can live with me."

Kakashi picker Yue up and spun her around. "I wasn't going to take no for an answer." He beamed.

"Yeah, yeah, I got it." Yue giggled. "Now will you set me down? I'm starting to feel sick."

Just as Kakashi was setting Yue down, San walked through the door. "My apologies Yue-sama!" he bowed. "I did not mean to disturb you."

Before Yue could respond Kakashi was next to San patting him on the shoulder. "San my man, have I got a deal for you." San glanced over to Yue with a bewildered look. Yue gave him an apologetic smile, but did not say anything. "How would you feel, if I were to tell you that we have found a place for you already?" Kakashi asked. "Excellent location, barely used, and has the sweetest next door neighbor you could ever ask for."

"I…I would be most grateful." San stuttered, not sure what to do about Kakashi's pushiness. He looked again for help from Yue who was giggling silently in the corner.

"Then it's settled! You can move in today!" Kakashi announced proudly. "Just give me an hour and I will have the place cleared out and ready for you! Follow me." He stated, heading out the door.

San looked helplessly over at Yue. "What is going on Yue-sama?" San asked.

"Kakashi wasn't too fond of the idea of me living with another man." Yue chuckled, watching Kakashi's retreating figure.

"He need not worry about that." San frowned. "I would never do anything to threaten your relationship."

"I know that, and he does too. Please forgive him. He was so happy I couldn't refuse him." Yue said apologetically.

"Please do not apologize to me Yue-sama!" San quickly bowed. "I am most honored that you even thought of me!"

"I wish you would stop doing that." Yue said with a sigh as she drug San back into a standing position. "How many times have I asked you to just call me Yue?"

"I could never be so disrespectful as to…" San said before being interrupted by Yue.

"We are family San. We have been for right years, and that will never change." Yue said with a serious expression. "Being family means we are equals! The only thing I expect from you, is that you place yourself first. We are in a new village, with a new life ahead of us. It's time for you to live your life the way you want to."

San dropped his head, tears silently falling. "Thank you, Yue-sama…I mean…" San paused. You saved my life, and your generosity is unmatched. I gratefully accept the home and your kindness along with it." He said, wiping the tears away from his eyes. "May I at least call you Lady Yue?" he asked.

"Hmm. Still not what I was hoping for, but old habits die hard right?" Yue smiled. "I will allow it for now."

San smiled back at her. "I guess I should be following Kakashi-san now." Said San. "Am I correct in assuming that Kakashi-san has offered me his home?"

"You assumed right." Yue groaned. "You don't have to live there if you don't want to. I can help you look for something else if you would prefer."

"I am sure it will be just fine." San replied. "After all, I will have the sweetest neighbor there ever was." San joked as he exited the door following after Kakashi.


	26. Chapter 25: Love Rival

**Chapter 25: Love Rival**

Kakashi was practically floating down the road. Yue had agreed to live with him, but this time she wasn't going anywhere. He could barely contain his joy, and found it extremely hard to keep himself from cheering in excitement, and running like a mad man down the streets. After all, he was cool Kakashi Hatake right?

San, who was to be moving into Kakashi's house followed behind him silently. The two finally arrived at the apartment and Kakashi led San inside. "Granny Shiho lives next door. That's who you pay rent to. I will introduce you to her after I get my stuff out of your way." Said Kakashi. "I will go get a cart. In the mean time, feel free to look around if you would like."

Kakashi took off to get a cart leaving San alone in the apartment. The apartment was clean, and surprisingly empty. Looking out the window, San was pleasantly surprised to see that it had a view of a nearby park, and a lake just beyond that. _The view is not bad here,_ thought San to himself. _I think I will like it here._

Just then Kakashi came back inside. "Sorry about that. I will be out of your hair as soon as I can. The food in the kitchen is yours if you would like it. There's a market around the corner in case you want anything else. I'll also leave the furniture here for you. You can do what you want with it." Said Kakashi.

"That is very generous of you." San replied. "If you would like, I can help you pack."

"That would be much appreciated." Replied Kakashi.

The two men went to work packing Kakashi's things into boxes. Despite all the time they had spent together on the island, they were still rather awkward with each other. Trying to lessen the tension Kakashi decided to talk to him. "So what do you like to do in your free time?" Asked Kakashi.

"Nothing really." Replied San.

"Do you have any questions about the village? I would be glad to tell you where things are, or things you can do." Kakashi offered.

"Nothing comes to mind." San replied blankly.

San's lack luster responses were making it hard to continue the conversation. Fighting the urge to give up Kakashi forced himself to keep talking. "What was it like working on a mission together with Yue?" Kakashi asked.

"You mean you have never been on a mission with Lady Yue before?" Asked San quizzically.

"Never have." Kakashi replied. "We trained together a lot, but never had a mission together. We were on different squads."

"Lady Yue is an amazing shinobi. I have never seen anyone as lethal, yet kind as her." San replied. "Living and working with her these last eight years taught me what it means to be a true ninja."

Kakashi couldn't help feeling a little jealous at the mention of "living with her." He finally decided to ask the question that had been weighing on his mind for some time. "I hope this doesn't offend you, but were you and Yue ever romantically involved?"

San was quiet for a moment before responding. "We were never romantically involved. In my present state, I am far too beneath her to be allowed such a privilege" San replied. "Also, I knew her heart was elsewhere."

Kakashi felt like he could sprout wings and fly. A huge weight had been lifted from his mind knowing that the two had never been involved during their long eight years together. The rest of the packing finished much quicker, as Kakashi was feeling rejuvenated by San's revelation. Carrying the last box to the door, Kakashi turned to say goodbye to San. "Thanks for the help. Here's the key to the door." Kakashi said handing it to him. "If you have any questions please let me know."

"I do have one thing to say." Said San seriously. "This may be out of line but I need to say it anyway. Take care of Lady Yue. If you make her cry, I will make sure you regret it."

Rather than feeling threatened, Kakashi was touched at San's devotion to Yue. "You have no need to worry." Kakashi answered. "I will never let her cry, nor do I ever intend to let her go again." San grunted in reply, apparently pleased with Kakashi's answer.

Back at the small house Yue was unpacking her belongings. _Nothing has changed,_ Yue thought to herself. The house was exactly the same as it had been when she left. Pausing at the fireplace she ran her hand over the small K and Y carved into the wood. _I never thought I would see this place again_, she thought to herself.

Yue finished unpacking then headed out the door to the market. After buying everything she needed Yue started home. Just a block away from the house, Yue ran into Genma and Raido. "Genma! Raido! It's been a long time! Remember me?"

The two looked confused for a moment before recognition hit. "Yue!" They shouted at the same time!"

"It's been forever!" Said Genma excitedly.

"Where have you been all this time? We heard you were dead!" said Raido.

"Not dead." Yue smiled. "Gramps sent me on a mission. I just got back last week."

"And you didn't come say hi to us sooner?" asked Genma with a mock hurt expression.

"Sorry, hospital had me on a tight leash." She replied with a chuckle.

"So are you back for good now?" asked Raido.

"You mean will I be going on any more ten year-long missions?" laughed Yue. "I think I will let someone else have a crack at one of those."

"So does Kakashi know you are back now?" asked Genma.

"That's a foolish question." Replied Yue.

"So Kakashi still has claim over you does he?" sighed Genma dramatically. Placing his arm around her shoulders he said, "Don't you think it would be more fun to try someone…UGH!" Genma was interrupted mid-sentence due to being hit in the head by a flying book.

Kakashi had rounded the corner leading back to the house. Up ahead he could see Yue along with Genma and Raido talking in the street. Kakashi couldn't hear what they were saying, but he could tell they were laughing. Jealousy got the better of him when he saw Genma put his arm around Yue's shoulder. Grabbing one of his _Make Out_ series books, Kakashi aimed and threw it at his head.

"Who threw this…Kakashi!" Genma gulped, seeing an annoyed Kakashi looming behind them.

Yue had bent down to pick up the book. Seeing that it was one of the _Make Out_ books Yue frowned at Kakashi and said, "Didn't we agree that these books were off limits?"

"I was on my way to throw them away, but I've thought of a better idea." Kakashi said with a cold smile directed at Genma. "Here." He said thrusting the books into Genma's hands. "I think you need these more than I do." With that said he grabbed Yue's hand and drug her off towards their home leaving a very embarrassed Genma and laughing Raido behind them.

"That was mean Kakashi." Yue said sternly, though she was secretly amused.

"He deserved it." Growled Kakashi. "Why is it that the second you are out of my sight the men congregate around you?"

"We are just friends Kakashi. He didn't mean anything by it." Yue replied.

"You have no idea the effect you have on guys do you?" Mumbled Kakashi more to himself than Yue. "What am I supposed to do if someone better comes and snatches you away?"

"You have nothing to worry about." Said Yue linking her arm through Kakashi's. "We were separated for ten years, so I intend to horde you to myself for at least that long."

"Only ten years?" asked Kakashi with a cocked eyebrow. "What about after that?"

"It depends on if you have been a good boy or not." Teased Yue.

"I don't intend to be a good boy at all." Kakashi whispered into her ear, before playfully nipping her ear.

A shiver ran down Yue's spine. "Hey, none of that mister!" Yue squeaked nudging Kakash with her elbow. Kakashi laughed at her and wrapped his free arm around Yue's shoulders.

Arriving at home, the two went to work. Kakashi unpacked his things while Yue prepared their meal. As he finished unpacking the last box, Kakashi picked up the scent of miso soup. "That smells delicious." Kakashi said as he entered the kitchen.

Inside the kitchen Kakashi found a large meal spread out over the table. Once again Kakashi was taken aback by the sheer amount of food Yue had cooked. "You know there are just two of us eating together right?" Asked Kakashi.

"You know how excited I get when I cook." Yue shrugged. "We have leftovers now at least."

After they finished their meal Kakashi and Yue decided to take a walk to help burn off some of the food they ate. Walking hand in hand by the river, the two pleasantly chatted till they ran into Shizune who was carrying a large stack of books and papers. "Here Shizune, let me help you with those." Yue said grabbing half of the stack out of Shizune's hands.

"Oh, Yue! Thank you so much!" Shizune said gratefully. "Lady Tsunade has been having me run documents back and forth all day for her. My arms were getting tired."

"We would be glad to help." Kakashi said, grabbing the rest of the stack out of Shizune's hands. Unnoticed by Kakashi, but seen by Yue, Shizune blushed when Kakashi spoke to her.

"Thanks a lot Kakashi." She said shyly, looking down at her feet.

The three made their way to the Hokage's mansion and dropped the documents off at the library. Shizune sat down with a thud onto a bench. "Whew, I am exhausted." She said while fanning herself with her hand.

"You two wait here. I will go get us something cool to drink." Yue said leaving Kakashi and Shizune sitting on the bench.

"Sounds like you've got it pretty rough." Kakashi said to Shizune.

"Lady Tsunade can be pretty bossy sometimes." Replied Shizune. "Despite that, I really do look up to her though."

"You and Yue are birds of a feather." Kakashi smiled. "Both of you always look to the positive in every situation." Shizune fell quiet. "I'm sorry. Did I say something to upset you?" asked Kakashi worried.

"You and Yue are together right?" asked Shizune. Kakashi was surprised by her question and merely nodded in response. "Don't take this the wrong way. I really do like Yue. She is kind, generous, and a wonderful ninja, but I am kind of sad that she returned to the village." Shizune whispered.

Kakashi was baffled. He had no idea where this was coming from, or why Shizune was saying these things to him. "I…I think I will go check on those drinks." Kakashi stammered.

Standing up to leave Kakashi felt himself being held back. Shizune had grabbed his hand and was looking into his eyes with a pleading look. "I'm in love with you Kakashi. I have been for years." Shizune blurted. "I really do like Yue, but can't you pick me instead?"

_Crap, _thought Kakashi to himself. _Just what the hell am I going to do now? _


	27. Chapter 26: Jealousy and Betrayal

**Chapter 26: Jealousy and Betrayal **

When one chooses the life as a ninja, they are signing up for both adventure and danger. There is another aspect that is rarely mentioned, but is unfortunately an integral part of the job. Secrets. Whether they are your own or others, secrets rarely stay secret for long. In fact, you are lucky if your personal affairs stay hidden even a day. After all, ninjas have excellent hearing making them masters in the art of eavesdropping.

Yue, carrying cold drinks in her arms, was returning to where she left Kakashi and Shizune. As she was about to round the corner she was able to just faintly pick up the sound of Shizune's voice. The words she heard made her stop dead in her tracks.

"Don't take this the wrong way. I really do like Yue. She is kind, generous, and a wonderful ninja, but I am kind of sad that she returned to the village." Said the voice of Shizune.

Shocked and a little hurt Yue stayed firmly planted, standing as silently as she could to not give away her presence. She then heard Kakashi nervously reply, "I…I think I will go check on those drinks."

Yue turned to run away but heard the footsteps suddenly stop. Curiosity got the better of her so she decided to stay, hoping to hear the rest of the conversation.

"I'm in love with you Kakashi. I have been for years. I really do like Yue, but can't you pick me instead?" Shizune pleaded.

Yue quickly wished she hadn't stayed. The pain of betrayal by one she considered a friend was more then she could stand. Finding the nearest window, Yue wrenched it open and jumped out, putting as much distance between herself and the hallway as she could.

Leaping from one rooftop to the next Yue made her way across the village till she reached the village gates. Running up the wall she finally came to a stop once she was on top of the gate. This had always been one of her favorite spots. The fresh breeze and scenic view was unrivaled, and she found that she was always able to think more clearly when she was here.

Izumo and Kotetsu were on guard duty when they noticed a strange person running up the wall. Kotetsu quickly ran to check on the situation, when he came across Yue sitting on top of the wall. "Hey, you should be here." Kotetsu said. "Who are you anyway?"

Yue looked at the person who was talking to her and was pleased to see a familiar face. "Is that you Kotetsu? It's been a long time." She smiled, pushing aside her sadness for the moment.

"How do you know my name?" asked a startled Kotetsu. "Should I know you?"

"Well it has been ten years." Yue mused. "I guess you wouldn't remember me even though we spent hours together raiding the Thirds Syrup supplies."

"Wait, is that you Yue?" Kotetsu asked inching closer. After closely examining her face realization hit and his face broke out into a huge smile. "It is you! I thought you were dead!"

"Apparently so did the rest of the village." Yue sighed. "That Danzo sure has a way of turning a bad situation worse."

"Well he can't cause problems like that anymore. Did you hear that he was killed by Sasuke before the fourth ninja war?" Kotetsu inquired.

"I did hear that, but I didn't know it was Sasuke." Yue answered. "I don't know whether I should feel relieved or sad for him. Sure he was a mean old cuss, but he did try his hardest for the village."

"Apparently the foundation is pretty torn up about it. They don't like the idea of taking orders from Lady Hokage, but they also lack a leader now. It has become somewhat chaotic." Kotetsu groaned, taking a seat next to Yue. "That aside, what are you doing up here?" he asked.

"Thinking. Enjoying the view." Replied Yue. "I love the breeze up here, and this is the best place that you can see the whole village from aside from atop the stone faces."

"You do have a point there." Kotetsu replied scanning the scenery himself. "I technically am not supposed to let you stay here though." He stated casually.

"Can you over look it just this once?" Yue asked, flashing him a charming smile. "Think of all the times I acted as your lookout when you raided the Thirds syrup stash. Can we just call this an exchange?"

"That was your fault!" Kotetsu said defensively. "Do you know how many times I was punished because you weren't a good enough lookout? I have probably done more push-ups than anyone else in the village because of that."

"But just think, if it weren't for all those push ups, you would have probably gotten fat because of all the syrup you ate!" Yue chuckled. "Think of it as me being concerned for your health!"

"Concerned my butt." Kotetsu huffed. "I guess I can ignore this for old time sake. Plus, I am really happy you are back in the village." An angry voice from below called Kotetsu back down to his gate duties. "Sorry, Izumo is throwing a fit so I better get back down there."

"Tell Izumo I say hi, and that I expect to catch up with him sometime." Yue replied.

"Deal." Said Kotetsu as he made his way back down to the ground.

Yue's smile quickly vanished. She loved seeing her old friends again, but right now she had far more pressing matters on her mind. Such as, Shizune trying to make a move on Kakashi.

Yue wasn't sure how she felt. On one hand she completely understood where Shizune was coming from. Yue could tell from the first moment she had seen Shizune and Kakashi interact that Shizune liked him. She also understood how Shizune would feel upset by Kakashi suddenly being in a relationship. Watching the person you like with another person is never easy, especially when that person appeared out of nowhere.

Despite understanding how Shizune must feel, Yue couldn't help but feel betrayed. In the time Yue was staying in the hospital, it felt like she and Shizune had become friends. The moment she had let her guard down though, Shizune made a move on her boyfriend.

Yue trusted Kakashi completely, yet she still felt threatened. For ten years she had been away from Kakashi. What if those ten years created a rift that that isn't apparent now, but will manifest later? What if Kakashi realizes he doesn't really want her anymore and would prefer Shizune? All those questions and more swam around in her head till she noticed the darkening sky around her. _I better get back,_ Yue thought to herself as she jumped off the wall. _Kakashi is going to be worried._

Skidding to a halt just outside the front door, Yue quickly composed herself before stepping through the front door. To her surprise the inside of the house was dark. "Kakashi?" Yue asked. Rounding the corner she saw Kakashi sitting quietly on the sofa, staring at the wall. "Are you ok Kakashi?" Yue asked sitting next to him.

"What? Oh, yeah I'm fine." Kakashi replied. "Where did you go? I was worried?"

"Sorry, I was distracted by the cool breeze outside. It felt so nice that I ended up staying to enjoy it for a while." She said cuddling up next to Kakashi. To her surprise Kakashi didn't hug her back. Usually he would be the first to initiate any sort of skin ship, but this time he remained sitting just as he had. This only increased Yue's worries.

Unbeknownst to Yue, Kakashi had been looking all over for her earlier. After Shizune's sudden confession Kakashi wanted nothing more than to find Yue and escape back to their house. When Yue didn't come back, he began to worry that she had overheard the conversation that had just taken place. Kakashi checked all of Yue's favorite spots with no luck. He asked people around the town if they had seen her, but no one had. As he was heading home, to check if she had returned already he noticed two people sitting on top of the village gates. Low and behold Yue was one of the people, and yet again she was with another guy.

Kakashi was angry. Not only had she disappeared without a word, but she was talking without a care in the world with another guy. _Is it her goal to flirt with all the men in the village?_ Kakashi grumbled to himself. Many emotions were plaguing Kakashi right now. Confusion at the sudden confession he had received form one of his good friends, relief at finding Yue safe, jealousy at all the men who she surrounded herself with, and anger at himself for always feeling so jealous. Even though he trusted Yue, he couldn't help but feel that she placed her friendship with everyone else, over her relationship with him.

Angry and confused, Kakashi headed back home without bothering to talk to Yue. He needed time to think, and to evaluate the situation. Once at home Kakashi plopped down onto the couch feeling emotionally drained. _What am I going to do about Shizune? How long has she felt that way? Have I been wasting all my time pursuing this relationship? Does Yue even love me? _Kakashi didn't realize how much time had passed, and was only brought back into the present by the sound of the front door opening.

_What am I going to do? Should I confront her about her feelings? Wouldn't it be better to know now whether this relationship is going to work or not? Is she trying to hide things from me? _While Kakashi was fumbling through his next course of action Yue had snuggled next to him on the couch. Fighting the urge to embrace her, Kakashi merely stared straight ahead at the wall. "It's getting late. I am going to get ready for bed." Kakashi announced, standing up from the couch.

Yue watched Kakashi retreat to the bathroom. Closing the door behind him, Kakashi had not once looked at Yue since she came home. _He must really be considering Shizune's offer,_ Yue thought sadly.

Walking to the other bathroom, Yue quickly showered and prepared for bed. She was already in bed before Kakashi made his way into the room. Unable to face him, Yue pretended to be asleep. She felt the bed shift as Kakashi sat down on the other side, but he made no move to touch her. Instead he laid on his side with his back facing her. Rather than a few inches, Yue felt like a huge ravine separated the two. She had never felt so distant from him before, even including the time he had just found out her true identity on the island. With a sad sigh, Yue drifted off to sleep worrying about what their future had in store from them.

Kakashi could hear Yue's slow even breaths signaling that she had fallen asleep. Turning over he gazed into her sleeping face. _If only I knew how you truly felt. _Kakashi thought. _What do I need to do to make you mine, and mine alone? _


	28. Chapter 27: Misconceptions Cleared Pt 1

**Chapter 27: Misconceptions Cleared ~ Lemon**

**(Part 1)**

Yue awoke first the next morning. She could just make out the sun rising over the horizon. She quietly rose from the bed and slipped into her training gear. Early mornings were her favorite time to exercise. Jotting down a quick note letting Kakashi know where she was, she quietly exited the house.

Once outside Yue stretched her stiff muscles, working out the kinks that had formed during the night. With one final stretch Yue was off, jogging towards the forest. Slipping into the covering of the forest, Yue quickened her pace. The crackling of the rocks and leaves below her feet, and the birds tweeting above cheered Yue considerably. Feeling lighter than she had last night, Yue continued to quicken her pace as she leapt over fallen logs and dodged low hanging branches.

Bursting through a wall of hanging branches Yue nearly ran straight into a person who was sitting on a fallen log just ahead of her. Using lighting quick reflexes, Yue just managed to dive out of the way, missing the person only by a few inches. "I am so sorry! I didn't realize anyone would be out here this early in the morning!" Yue apologized. Seeing whom it was made Yue feel like she had been punched in the stomach. "Oh, Shizune. It's you."

"I was pretty surprised myself." Said Shizune. "I never expected someone to come barreling through a wall of branches."

"I love running these trails in the morning." Yue replied wiping the sweat away from her forehead. "What are you doing out here so early?"

"Thinking." Shizune replied. "Do you mind if we talk for a moment?" Shizune asked.

Yue most certainly did mind. Shizune was the person she wanted to avoid right now, but here she was in the middle of the forest wanting to talk to her. Yue inwardly cursed fate for sticking her in this situation. Sitting down on a few feet away from Shizune, Yue prepared herself for the worst.

"I know you heard my conversation with Kakashi yesterday." Shizune said.

This wasn't what Yue had been expecting so it took her a moment to respond. "I did." She finally managed.

"I didn't mean to go behind your back, but I'm not sorry I told him." Shizune stated. "I have loved Kakashi from the moment Lady Tsunade and I returned to the village. I have been waiting for the right time to tell him."

"You are free to do what you want." Yue replied curtly. "It isn't my place to tell you what you can, or cannot do."

"Precisely." Responded Shizune. "And I intend to do just that. You don't know how badly Kakashi has been suffering. Outwardly he looked just fine, but I could tell how lonely he was." Shizune said. "Who do you think is the cause of his loneliness?"

Shizune's words stung. Yue knew full well that Kakashi had suffered a great deal because of her. In spite of this, Yue wasn't willing to give up Kakashi. "I know very well that Kakashi suffered a lot because of me. I will spend the rest of my life making it up to him in any way I can." Yue said seriously.

"But you are going to hurt him again!" Yelled Shizune. "A ninja of your skill level will surely be sent out on dangerous missions, leaving Kakashi behind. Don't you think you have made him wait long enough?"

"That is part of being a ninja." Yue snapped back. "Kakashi knows it, and I know it. Instead, with the moments we have together, I will make sure Kakashi can feel just how much I love him!"

"But I can be with him all the time!" Shizune yelled. "I am Lady Tsunade's advisor so we can see each other far more. Kakashi wont have to feel the pain of separation."

"That is Kakashi's choice." Yue replied. "It is not for us to tell Kakashi who he has to pick based on convenience. The choice is up to him alone. As long as Kakashi wants me, I am going to remain by his side."

"What if Kakashi chose me? Would you let him go then?" Shizune asked.

"If that is what Kakashi wants, then I will let him go." Yue replied. "But until he makes that decision on his own, you better believe that I am going to fight as hard as I can to keep him looking at me."

"Then you have to know that I am going to fight as hard as I can to get him to notice me." Shizune snapped back.

"Like I said, it's not up to me to tell you what to do. Know this though, my feelings will never lose to you." Yue smirked confidently back. Shizune couldn't argue with Yue's confidence. Without replying she turned and stomped away into the forest. _That surprisingly made me feel better,_ thought Yue to herself. With a newfound determination, Yue set off running once again, heading back home where Kakashi was.


	29. Chapter 27: Part 2- Lemon

**(PART 2)**

Kakashi had just woken up. Stretching out his arms he was met with the feeling of the cold, empty bed. Opening his eyes, he could see that Yue wasn't there. On the bedside table he noticed a small folded piece of paper that read, _Good morning sleepy head. Went for a run in the forest. Will make breakfast when I get back. Love you._

Kakashi focused on the last phrase she had written. "Love you." _Does she really love me?_ Kakashi wondered. Quickly folding the paper up he shoved it into his bedside drawer. Standing up he heard the familiar creaking of his joints that greeted him each morning. Kakashi walked into the kitchen just as Yue was walking through the door. The sight of her made his heart beat faster, but he didn't allow himself to feel happy as he was still unsure of her true feelings.

"Morning." She said to him as she took off her shoes.

"Hey." Kakashi replied. "How was the run?"

"It was wonderful!" Yue smiled. "We should go together next time. I will show you my favorite trail."

"Mmm" Kakashi responded.

Yue noticed that Kakashi's cold behavior was still there. _Is he thinking about Shizune?_ She wondered to herself. "Give me just a minute. I will have breakfast made quickly." She said getting to work.

Kakashi sat quietly at the table watching Yue. He wanted so much to help her, but was still so unsure of her feeling that he remained firmly planted to his seat.

Ten minutes later Yue placed breakfast on the table. "Sorry for the wait. Let's eat." She said handing Kakashi a pair of chopsticks.

Breakfast passed by in a cold awkward silence. Neither were able to ask the questions that were weighing so heavily on their minds. Unable to stand the silence anymore, Yue was the first to speak. "So I heard the conversation you and Shizune had yesterday." Kakashi dropped his chopsticks. "I'm sorry I didn't say anything sooner, I just didn't know how to respond." She said.

"So you ran off to talk about it with Kotetsu instead?" Said Kakashi steely.

"You saw me with Kotetsu?" Yue asked. "Why didn't you come say something?"

"That's not the point!" yelled Kakashi. "How can you tell some other guy all about your worries, but don't even think of mentioning them to me? Do you not trust me enough?"

"That's not it at all!" Yue replied frantically.

"Then what? Is this all some sort of game to you? Are my feelings something you use to pass the time until you find another guy that's more interesting?" Kakashi shouted.

"How dare you accuse me of fawning all over other men, when you yourself have women fawning all over you." Yue yelled back. "You know very well that I they are nothing more to me than friends."

"Yeah well if they are such good friends of yours why don't you date them instead?" Kakashi bellowed.

"It's because I don't love them!" Yue growled.

"Do you even love me?" Kakashi argued.

"You're an idiot!" Yue yelled, angry tears streaming down her cheeks. "How could you think for even a second that I didn't love you? I love you so much it hurts! Why can't you see that!"

Kakashi was across the table and embracing Yue within seconds. There was no gentleness in the way Kakashi held her, just raw, unbridled passion. Kakashi crushed his lips to hers, his hungry tongue devouring her. Breaths ragged, Kakashi barely gave them time to catch their breath before diving back in again.

Shoving everything off the table, Kakashi quickly pushed Yue on top of it, never breaking his kiss. Within seconds, Kakashi had shredded her clothes leaving her bare and exposed. His hands and mouth went to work massaging her breasts.

Yue was letting out a steady stream of pleasured moans at Kakashi's familiar touch. It been too long since the last time they touched. Giving into the animalistic passion, Yue tore at Kakashi's clothes wanting all of him to herself.

Kakashi quickly positioned himself at her entrance and slammed into her hard. Yue let out a pained gasp at the sudden intrusion. Digging her nails into his back Yue gritted her teeth as she rode out Kakashi's steady rhythm. Over and over he pumped into her until his hot speed poured into her with his climax.

The strength in Kakashi's arms quickly left him and he collapsed on top of Yue, covered in a layer of sweat and breathing hard. Yue wrapped her arms around Kakashi's back, panting for air. The intensity of their union was so strong that the two lay in each other's arms, completely exhausted.

After a while Kakashi was finally able to move. Brushing her hair away from her face Kakashi gave Yue a gentle kiss on the lips. "I'm sorry. Did I hurt you?"

Yue smiled back at him. "No, you are fine." Yue replied. Looking at the mess of shredded clothes and spilled food around the kitchen Yue chuckled. "I think we have a real mess to clean up."

"I think we should be more concerned about ourselves first." Said Kakashi placing another soft kiss on Yue's lips. "Let's go take a bath."

Kakashi stood up offering his hand to Yue. As Yue tried to stand up, her legs gave a weak wobble before she collapsed into Kakashi's arms. "I don't think my body is used to this yet." Yue laughed weakly.

"We will be sure to train it then." Said Kakashi picking Yue up and carrying her to the bathroom. Placing her inside the tub, Kakashi turned on the hot water and added the soap. In no time at all, the tub was full of warm water and bubbles. Kakashi turned off the water, and joined Yue in the tub.

The two sat soaking together in the tub, Yue resting on Kakashi's chest caged in by his strong arms. "Why didn't you tell me you heard the conversation?" Kakashi asked.

"I was worried that maybe you would accept Shizune. I didn't want to face it so I ran away." Yue replied.

"Then you aren't as smart as I gave you credit for." Kakashi said, pinching Yue's nose. "How could I ever love anyone else besides you?"

"Well Shizune has been here with you in the village, while I have been away. I thought things may have changed." Yue pouted.

"That's what I was afraid of." Kakashi replied. "You were gone for ten years. I wasn't sure if you even still loved me. Then when we get back to the village you were constantly surrounded by other guys and it made me worry more."

"You have nothing to be afraid of Kakashi." Yue said. "The only person I love, or will ever love is you. Please believe me. The rest of the guys are just friends."

"Then why did you run to confide in Kotetsu after hearing the conversation between Shizune and I?" asked Kakashi.

"I didn't confide in him at all." Yue replied. "We only talked about things that happened when we were kids."

"Really?" asked Kakashi.

"Really and truly." Yue replied. "From now on, I will be better at talking to you instead of making assumptions."

"And I will try not to be so jealous." Kakashi replied. "I can't make any promises though."

"So what are you going to do about Shizune then?" asked Yue.

"Apparently you didn't listen to the whole conversation." Kakashi teased. "If you had stayed you would have known that I already turned her down. How could I even think about another woman when I have you to deal with already?"

"You make it sound like I am a huge burden." Yue pouted. "If that's how you feel maybe you_ should_ go for Shizune instead." Yue said crossing her arms.

"You are a complete burden." Kakashi agreed chuckling at Yue's surprised face. "Who else but me could handle a girl like you who attracts too many guys, and is too stubborn for her own good?" He said playfully nipping her ear. "Now no more arguments, we need to get cleaned up."

Kakashi took a handful of soap and began gently massaging it through Yue's hair. "Have I ever told you how much I love your hair?" asked Kakashi.

"You may have mentioned it before." Yue purred back, losing her self in the sensations Kakashi was creating.

Rinsing out her hair Kakashi grabbed another handful of soap and began washing her body. Yue moaned at the light touches Kakashi used as he washed her more sensitive areas. Massaging her breasts with one hand, Kakashi slipped his other hand down to her opening. Slipping two fingers inside, Kakashi began to pump his fingers in and out.

Yue's tight walls clamped down on his fingers, loving the sensations that came with them. Kakashi began to pump faster and faster till he pushed her over the edge and she climaxed. Panting and coming down from her climax Yue managed to sit up again. Stopping Kakashi she said, "It's my turn to wash you now."

Gathering a handful of soap Yue gently washed Kakashi's hair before moving on to the rest of his body. With slow gentle strokes, Yue rubbed the soap up and down his body. Pushing Kakashi back against the head of the tub, Yue slowly trailed her soapy hands between his legs, caressing his inner thighs.

Instinctively Kakashi spread his legs further, losing himself to her soft touch. Yue reached down and lightly touched Kakashi's throbbing member. Kakashi bucked in surprise at her touch. Yue continued massaging his shaft with her soapy hands, running them up and down, and over the sensitive tip.

Beads of liquid were already starting to form at the tip, and Kakashi's penis stood erect and at the ready. "I want to try something new." Yue said seductively. She moved Kakashi so he was sitting on the edge of tub, with her nestled in between his legs. Lowering her mouth to his hard member, Yue flicked the tip with her tongue ever so lightly.

Kakashi's body bucked in surprise again. Yue gave him a mischievous smile before lowering her mouth to his hard member again. Using the tip of her tongue, Yue trailed her tongue back and forth across the tip. It felt like electric currents were running up and down his body at the sensations Yue was creating with her tongue.

Yue lowered her head further down, taking the tip inside her mouth. She began to alternate kissing and teasing the tip. While she was teasing the tip, Yue took a free hand and began massaging Kakashi's sack below. The combined feeling of her mouth and hands brought Kakashi right up to the point of release, but Yue pulled back before he did. "Oh no, you don't get to do that just yet." Yue smiled slyly.

Taking the tip into her mouth once again, Yue began lowering herself so that more of Kakashi's hard member entered her mouth. Moving her head back and forth Yue created alternating rhythms of fast and slow, while sucking and teasing the shaft with her tongue.

Over and over Yue brought Kakashi to the brink of his climax, but would pull away at the last second. Kakashi was just barely managing to support himself with his arms. With one final pump, Kakashi's climax exploded sending his hot seed into her mouth.

"Look what you've done. I am all dirty again." She said wiping some of his juices off her lips. The small yet sexy movement had Kakashi hard again within second. "You still haven't had enough?" asked Yue as she stood straddling him. She slowly lowered herself onto his hard shaft, feeling him deeper inside her than she had ever before.

Kakashi began to move his hips in a slow rhythm. Yue's hips matched pace with him. Kakashi wrapped Yue's legs around his waist before picking her up and carrying her to the bed with him.

"We are going to get the bed all wet!" Yue said as Kakashi laid her down.

"So?" Kakashi shrugged as he lifted one of her lags and placed in on top of his shoulder. With the new angle Kakashi began to pump into Yue harder.

"Mmm…Kakashi…harder." Moaned Yue, which Kakashi was only happy to comply with.

Pulling out of her, Kakashi rolled her over so she was laying face down. Lifting up her legs, he spread them apart and slowly entered her from behind. Kakashi could feel his release nearing so he began to increase the intensity of his thrusts. With one final thrust he slammed into her hard, pumping her passage full of his hot seed. Yue soon climaxed after him.

Completely spent, the two lay holding each other, listening to each others heart beats. "Now this is how our first night should have been." Kakashi chuckled.

Yue wrapped her arms around Kakashi's waist resting her head on his powerful chest. "I do believe we are in need of a bath again though." She laughed.

"Can't right now." Kakashi replied. "Five more minutes?"

"Maybe ten." Yue replied, as the two drifted off to sleep, completely content in each others arms.


	30. Chapter 28: The Squads Move Out

**Chapter 28: The Squads Move Out!**

It was mid-afternoon by the time Yue and Kakashi finally rose. Smelling of sweat and sex, the two made their way to the bathroom to shower. Once clean they decided to tackle the mess in the kitchen.

The kitchen floor was littered with shredded clothes, broken plates, and spilled food. "Don't you think you could have been a little more gentle with the dishes?" teased Yue as she began picking up broken plate fragments.

"The situation was a little dire." Replied Kakashi and he grabbed a washcloth to wipe up the spilled food.

"We are going to have to buy more dishes though." Replied Yue. "I really liked those."

"Which do you like better, those dishes or sex?" asked Kakashi.

Yue turned away blushing. "Which do you think I like more?"

"Probably this." Kakashi said as he groped her breasts from behind her.

"Hey! We just showered! We've already wasted most of our day doing that." Yue squeaked, swatting Kakashi's hands away.

"I am ready to waste a whole week." Smirked Kakashi.

"That I know too well." Yue replied. "Unfortunately I don't think my body can handle it. Do you know how many bruises I have from you right now?"

"No more than should be expected." Kakashi answered innocently. "I'm just saying that it's completely normal for couples to take a week vacation to consummate their love."

"People do that to celebrate being married. It's called a Honeymoon Kakashi." Yue rolled her eyes.

"Well then let's get married." Kakashi said.

Yue was startled by his sudden proposal. "We just started living together. I am sure your appetite will be appeased so we don't need a week together to do it." Yue replied.

"That's not why I said it." Said Kakashi. "I am serious. I want to marry you."

Yue was stunned. Marrying Kakashi would be a dream come true, but with the situation with the SR-Alliance, and an uncertain future, Yue didn't want to get Kakashi's hopes up before anything was settled.

Mercifully she was saved from having to respond due to a knock at the door. Answering the door, Yue was met face-to-face with an ANBU member. "You have been summoned by Lady Hokage." The masked ninja announced. "You are to report to her immediately."

Yue and Kakashi nodded and took off, following behind the ANBU member. "What do you think is going on?" asked Kakashi.

"My guess is that it has something to do with the SRA." Yue replied.

Arriving at the Hokage's mansion Yue and Kakashi entered into Lady Tsunade's office. Inside they were greeted by Team Guy, the rest of Team Kakashi, and a squad of ANBU black ops members.

"Full house." Muttered Kakashi.

"Thanks for coming so quickly you two." Tsunade began. "We just received word from out sentries on the border of the Land of Waves that a mysterious boat has been spotted. It has not attempted to dock as of yet, but they are worried that enemy ninja are aboard it. Yue, I am reinstating you to the ANBU. I want you to lead Squad Tzu and investigate the boat on the shore. While you are on this mission I am giving you a codename. You will be known as Chi."

"I assume that Team Guy and Team Kakashi will be sent as guards to the port then?" Guy chimed in.

"You assumed right." Tsunade replied. "Team Guy and Team Kakashi will be the first line of defense should the enemy ninja try to invade. I am leaving it to your two squads to annihilate the threat before they can invade our land."

"What if the boat is merely a ruse to focus our attention elsewhere while they invade from another point?" Asked Kakashi.

"I thought of that possibility too." Tsunade replied. "I have sent word to our border sentries, as well as to our surrounding villages. With our combined efforts we may be able to catch them before anything serious comes of it. You're departure time is in one hour. Yue and Kakashi, I want you to stay here for a moment. The rest of you are dismissed."

As the rest of the party filed out of the room, Yue and Kakashi moved closer to Tsunade's desk. "Am I to believe that the mission involves the SRA?" Yue asked.

"That is exactly the case." Tsunade replied.

"Forgive me if I am being rude, but isn't sending Yue too risky?" Asked Kakashi. "She is the target they are after."

"That is precisely why I am sending her." Tsunade replied. "The enemy is not likely to suspect that we would send her back into their ranks. As far as they know we are keeping her safely hidden away in the village."

"I have to agree with Lady Tsunade." Yue replied.

Kakashi still did not like the idea of putting Yue into the very center of the enemy, but also couldn't argue with the reasoning behind it. "Was there a specific mission we are supposed to carry out Lady Tsunade?" Kakashi asked. "I highly doubt you kept us back just to explain why you were sending us."

"Sharp as always." Tsunade nodded. "There is a strong possibility that Orochimaru is on that boat. Your mission is to capture him and bring him back to the village without Sasuke or Naruto finding out."

"But Lady Tsunade, if you don't want Naruto or Sasuke finding out, then why not assign a different team to the mission?" Yue asked.

Tsunade glared at Kakashi. "Because, if I sent another team we would have a different member of that team throwing a fit." She said with a sigh. "Why is this team so high maintenance?"

Kakashi couldn't disagree with Tsunade's reasoning. It was true, Kakashi would have thrown a fit if he couldn't go with Yue on this mission. "Who is going to replace Tenten in Team Guy then?" asked Kakashi.

"Team Guy will not be receiving a new member. As team Kakashi has five members, we will call it even." Tsunade answered. "Yue, I have placed an ANBU named Yamato in your squad. He is a wood style user. He will serve as your second in command."

"Understood." Replied Yue. With that said, Yue and Kakashi left the office, heading home to prepare for their mission. "Have you heard of this Yamato guy before?" asked Yue.

"Yamato is a close friend." Kakashi replied. "He actually has worked along side us many times, so the whole team is familiar with him."

"That's a relief." Yue sighed. "It feels weird being assigned an official squad mission again after so long."

"Don't worry about it." Kakashi smiled. "You never really forget how these things work. You'll remember how it works in no time."

An hour later the three squads gathered together at the gate. Yue along with the rest of squad Tzu disappeared into the trees, while the other two teams marched out on ground.

Yue led her squad far ahead of the other two squads, creating as much distance as she could. ANBU squads moved faster than normal squads, and remained out of sight at all times. When the sun was beginning to set, Yue stopped her squad to set up camp. "We will stay here for the night. We have an early day tomorrow so I think its best we stick to the trees. We will take shifts on guard duty." She announced. "Before we do anything else I think it is important that we spend a little time running through some drills, and getting to know each other. You don't know me, and I don't know you either. This way we can get a better feel of our fighting styles and be able to coordinate our techniques better. Let's start off with introductions. I have been assigned the name Chi on this mission. As your commander, I promise that I will do everything in my power to make sure that this mission is a success and that you return home to your families and friends."

"That's an unusual promise." Said one of the ninja. "As ninja we know that the possibility of not returning home is high. Captains usually do not make promises that they cannot keep."

"And what is your name?" asked Yue.

"My code name is Sho." He replied.

"Well Sho, I understand what you are saying, but I will not take back my promise. I know too well the pain those left behind feel. Even at the cost of my life, I will do everything I can to return you safely home." Yue replied confidently.

"So are you really the ninja who just returned from the ten year mission?" Another ninja asked eagerly. "Oh, my name is Ro by the way."

"Wait a minute! You are the famous ninja who took down three of the legendary S-class rogue ninja's?" Asked another excitedly. "And the name's Kyo."

"Alright, alright calm down you two." Chimed in the last masked ninja. "You two should know this isn't the time to be asking about personal details."

"So she really is that ninja!" Ro exclaimed. "It is an honor to work alongside you Chi-sama?"

"Sama? You don't need to call me that. Just call me Chi." Yue replied.

"But!" Ro began before the still unnamed ninja cut him off. "Calm down Ro. Save it for when we are back in the village off duty. I am sure Chi-san will tell you all about it there. My name is Zo by the way. I believe I am to be your second in command here."

"Yes you are." Yue replied. "If there aren't any other questions lets begin the training exercise."

The ninjas went to work, completing a basic training exercise, but it was enough for each of them to get a feel for each other's' skills. "Excellent! I think we will do nicely together! Zo and I will take the first shift. The rest of you get some sleep."

As the other squad members found a place to rest, Yue and Zo met together to draw out a perimeter and guard schedule. "I know this isn't the time or place for me to tell you this, but it is an honor to work with you. Kakashi-senpai has told me a lot about you."

"So you and he are very close then?" Asked Yue.

"We served on an ANBU squad together. Amazing captain…picked on me a lot though." Zo replied.

"That sounds like him." Yue chuckled.

Back with the other two squads, Kakashi was feeling restless. He knew the nature of ANBU missions and how they traveled in secret, but it still didn't make him feel any better. Despite all the precautions Lady Tsunade had taken to make this mission a safe place for Yue, it still didn't change the fact that Yue was going back into the very hands of the enemies who were after. One wrong move and she would be captured and taken away.

Just as dusk was breaking the two squads decided to set up camp for the night. "Man, I wish captain Yamato was around." Naruto griped. "Whenever we go on missions with him he makes us a house to sleep in. I get so tired of sleeping in tents all the time."

"If that's how you feel then you can sleep all by yourself outside of the tent." Sakura snapped.

"I'm sorry Sakura. I take it back." Naruto yelped. "I better go help Sai set up the tent then!" he said scampering away from Sakura's raised fist.

After setting up camp the party quickly ate then went to sleep. Kakashi and Neji were the first to take guard duty. Making another round of the perimeter Kakashi found Neji silently staring up at the moon. "Are you feeling ok Neji?" asked Kakashi.

"Oh, Kakashi sensei. I was just thinking." Neji replied.

"Are you worried about Tenten?" Kakashi asked.

Neji blushed a little. "I…I don't know what you are talking about." He finally stammered.

"It's only natural that you are worried about Tenten." Kakashi stated. "She is your lover, and she's carrying your baby after all." _Baby._ The word still brought shivers to Neji. "How is she doing?"

"She's fine. Lady Shizune has been keeping watch over her. The baby is healthy and so is Tenten." Neji mumbled.

"Let me ask you another question then." Replied Kakashi. "How are _you _doing?"

This had been the first time anyone asked Neji this, and he was grateful for Kakashi's concern. "Honestly I don't know. Ever since I found out she was pregnant I feel like I am standing in a permanent layer of fog. I have no idea what I am doing." He groaned.

"You know what. I think that's how everyone feels when something new is coming their way. It's completely normal for you to be worried about those you love and if you are going to do a good job for them." Kakashi counseled.

"Do you worry about you're future with Lady Yue?" asked Neji.

"Every day." Kakashi answered. "But I have faith that through hard work and love, we will get through anything."

"Hmm. That makes sense." Neji replied. "Thanks Kakashi sensei." With that said Neji headed off, continuing his rounds.

Kakashi glanced up at the moon. _Funny. The moon really does make you think about the people you love,_ thought Kakashi. Thinking about Yue, he continued on his rounds. _Everything is going to be fine. Yue and I will have a future together._


	31. Chapter 29: Aboard the Suspicious Boat

**Chapter 29: Aboard the Suspicious Boat **

Yue and her squad had just made it to the border between the Land of Waves and the Land of Fire. Quietly spreading out, the squad members each took their own sector to do a preliminary sweep through. Finding that her sector was completely secure, Yue went back to the tree that they had designated as the rendezvous point. A few minutes later the rest of her squad returned. "Did you find anything?" She asked.

Everyone except Kyo reported back as having found nothing. "I found an suspicious looking gathering of ninjas on the other side of the border." Kyo reported. "There looked to be about thirty ninja's gathered there. I couldn't see any distinguishing features, or marks indicating which village they were from."

"Then they will be our first targets." Replied Yue. "Zo, you will take Sho and Kyo with you and sneak up on them to the West. Ro and I will sneak up on them from the east. When I give the signal throw smoke bombs in the center of the group. I want you to incapacitate them, not kill. We may be able to find out more information from them."

With that said the two units set off, Zo's to the west, and Yue's to the east. "When we get there, I will go in first. Your job will be to intercept the ones that may slip past me." Yue ordered.

"Yes sir." Replied Ro. "Thank you for choosing me to come with you."

"Your style is most suited to work along mine." Yue said. "Remember, you need to leave your personal feelings behind right now. This is a mission."

"Understood." He replied.

Closing in on the group of ninja's Yue sent the signal and threw her first smoke bomb. As the smoke bombs exploded, angry and surprised voices could be heard all around as the suspicious ninja scattered, trying to get away from the smoke.

By the time the smoke had cleared all thirty of the suspicious ninja lay bound, or unconscious. Walking to the nearest ninja, Yue nudged him with her foot and asked, "Who are you guys? Where did you come from?"

"As if I would tell you." The ninja spat. "I'd die before telling you anything."

"That can be arranged." Yue said in a menacing voice. "Last chance, tell me who you are and why you are here."

"If he doesn't want to talk there are other ways to get the answers we need." Sho said. Walking up to the ninja. Removing his gloves Sho placed his palm against the ninja's forehead. "SECRET ART: Mind read jutsu."

_So he's from the Yamanaka clan,_ thought Yue to herself. _Very handy. _While Sho was busy getting information, the rest of the squad worked on imprisoning the ninja in a prison that Zo had created. "Ro as soon as Sho gives us a report I want you to send message to the border sentries." Yue ordered.

Just then Sho finished his investigation before knocking out the ninja and throwing him into the prison with the rest. "What were you able to find out?" Yue asked.

"Turns out these guys are part of something called the R-alliance." He replied. "From what I gathered, there is a big invasion being planned on the leaf village but this group broke away from the alliance."

"Damn." Yue swore. "Ro, go tell the sentries about the prisoners. They are to be locked up. Also, send word to Lady Tsunade. Tell her the alliance has made its move."

"The Alliance? You know about them?" Asked Kyo.

"This is classified information, but due to the circumstances I will share what I can with you." Yue answered. "The R-Alliance is an alliance of rogue shinobi formed under Orochimaru. The members in the R-alliance are classified anywhere between the "B" and "D" rank criminals. Nothing too serious. Their leaders are A ranked criminals, but even they don't pose much of a threat."

"So why are you so worried about them then?" Asked Sho.

"Think of a group of ants." Replied Yue. "One small ant will do nothing, but a whole army of them can cause some damage. A small group of thirty doesn't pose much of a threat, but a whole army of them can. Also, the "queen" they serve is Orochimaru, and he has his own elite guard of Ninja's who rival the strength of the Akatsuki."

"If that's the case, where do you think Orochimaru and his private guard are?" asked Zo. "Is there a chance that Orochimaru is on that boat?"

"There is always a chance." Replied Yue. "We don't know whether he is on that boat or not. Our mission still is to investigate the boat. We need to do it as quickly as possible, in case an army is headed towards our village. Until Ro gets back we need to figure out a way to get on that boat."

"Yes sir!" the others replied.

Back with Kakashi the two teams had packed up and continued their journey towards the Land of Waves. "What a wonderful morning!" Guy cheered. "The fresh air gets me fired up!"

"Me too Guy Sensei!" Lee agreed. "I flames of youth are setting me ablaze. Let us hurry to the Land of Waves!"

"That's the spirit Lee!" Guy bellowed.

"Will you two knock it off!" Grumbled Neji. "The day has only just begun and you two are already out of control."

"Give it up Neji." Naruto yawned. "That's just how bushy brow, and bushier brow sensei are."

"Yes they are quite, oh what's the word." Sai pondered to himself. "Annoying! That's it. They are quite annoying."

"That was cold Sai." Lee pouted.

"Was that not a good thing to say?" Asked Sai.

"It's a little harsh calling a person annoying." Sakura answered gently.

"Though not untrue." Sasuke mumbled.

"Not you too Sasuke." Lee whined.

"Alright, that's enough." Kakashi ordered. "While I may not show quite the enthusiasm Guy and Lee do, I agree that we need to speed up. At this rate we aren't going to make it there by nightfall. I am sure the third squad has already made it there."

"But they are ANBU Kakashi Sensei." Sakura whined. "They are supposed to move faster than us."

"Even so." Kakashi replied as she quickened his pace. Though he didn't say it, Kakashi was feeling increasingly worried for Yue's safety. The only thing that kept him sane was his trust in her unrivaled strength. It would take an enemy of Orochimaru's status or more to pose a real threat to her.

Back with Yue's group, Ro had returned and the squad set off towards the boat. The group moved forward in their two separate units formation again. Rather than using boats which are easy to see, the two squads moved stealthily across the water on foot.

Yue and Ro reached the east side of the boat. Ever so quietly, they climbed up the side of it stopping just short of the deck. Yue went first. She peered cautiously over the edge of the boat, scanning the deck. About fifteen ninjas were stationed around the deck, though none noticed her presence. She climbed back down to meet Ro.

"There are about fifteen men patrolling the deck. We are going to create shadow clones to take out the fifteen men at once." Yue explained. "There are three ninja each to the rear and front of the boat. Four ninja are standing guard in the center while two ninja are patrolling back and fourth along the sides of the boat. There are two more ninja posted outside a room, which I believe is the captains quarters. One more ninja is up the mast posted as a look out. He will have to be taken out first. When I give the signal you take out the three up front and in back as well as the two who are pacing the deck. I will take out the rest."

Yue sent her clones to their positions. She herself snuck onto the boat to climb up the mast. This ninja was the most crucial one to take out. With out making a sound Yue careful snuck to the ninja and slayed him before he even noticed. She made sure he was dead before sending the signal. As quick as lighting the fourteen remaining ninja were slain and hidden away from sight.

"Where should we go next?" whispered Ro.

"The others should have infiltrated the cargo hold already." Yue replied. "Our best bet at finding information should be in the captains quarters. I want you to transform into the ninja we slayed and position yourself in their guard posts. I will scout out the captains room from the outside and see if there is a way in."

Yue slinked over to the captain's room. She could hear voices coming from the inside but couldn't make out what they were saying. Suddenly an alarm sounded from below deck followed by the sound of stampeding feet. Yue just managed to conceal herself underneath a tarp before a group of ninja came stampeding up the stairs from below deck.

"His Lordship! Enemy ninja have infiltrated our ship!" the enemy ninja cried.

The captain's room door flung open with a crash and out stepped a goliath of a man with shoulder length blue hair, carrying a large trident. "What idiots would be dumb enough to trespass onto my ship?" boomed the gigantic ninja.

"They appear to be leaf shinobi." One of the men yelled. "There were three of them skulking around the cargo hold. We managed to catch one of them, but the other two got away." He said. From behind him he yanked a badly cut, but still alive Kyo.

"Leaf shinobi eh?" laughed the blue haired ninja menacingly. "Well we should send them a gift for making it this far, shouldn't we?" The men roared in approval. "This one's got a handsome face don't you think? Maybe we should send it back to them." he cackled, raising his trident. "But only the face."

As he swung his trident down a giant explosion went off in the middle of group rocking the boat and sending men flying in every direction. During the chaos Yue had managed to shove Kyo into the arms of Ro before blocking the heavy trident with her own sword. "Take him and go!" Yue yelled.

Ro nodded before disappearing over the side of the boat, carrying the injured Kyo. As the smoke cleared Yue was left alone on the boat facing off against the giant blue haired ninja. "What an unexpected surprise." he gasped with a malicious smile. "I never expected _you_ to be the one who tried to stop me. How marvelous!"

During the course of the rescue and explosion, Yue's mask had been torn from her face, exposing her true identity to the remaining crew. "Unfortunately I can't reciprocate your joy." Yue smirked.

"Oh, don't be like that Nil. You and I go way back." He sneered. "It feels like just yesterday when we were companions fighting for the greater evil. You know you were always my favorite of the lot. So quiet. So obedient. Just like a little doggy."

"Tough luck Dool." Yue replied. "You were my least favorite of the lot. I could never stomach the smell of dead fish that you radiate."

"Calling names isn't nice Nil." Dool said as he raised his trident once again. "Naughty doggies must be punished."

"I'd like to see you try." Yue retorted, taking a fighting stance.

"You forget where we are right now." He said with a confident smirk.

Yue had not forgotten in the least. Dool was a master water user. This fight was going to be the hardest one yet. "Take your best shot." Yue taunted.

"With pleasure." He replied. "WATER STYLE: Water Dragon jutsu!"

_Here it comes,_ thought Yue to herself as she readied herself for the fight.

~~~~~~~Ok dearest readers. I have done my best to update like crazy this past week. My life is taking a turn for the crazy, so I honestly don't know how soon I will be able to upload again. It may be in a few days, it may not be for a month. I ask that you be patient with me, and keep supporting me as you have!


	32. Chapter 30: Captured!

**Chapter 30: Captured!**

_Kakashi's group~_

Kakashi and the rest of the squads had just made it to the border when a giant explosion was heard. "What the hell was that?" Yelled Naruto.

"Whatever it was, it was big!" Lee added.

Kakashi's heart began to race. _I hope nothing bad has happened to Yue_, he thought. As they were rushing towards the beach, the group stumbled upon two injured ninja that they recognized immediately. "It's those ANBU guys from the village!" Naruto shouted.

"Shut up you idiot! Do you want to give away our location!" Sasuke chastised Naruto.

"Sakura, hurry and heal them!" Guy ordered.

While Sakura went to work healing their injuries, Kakashi began to question them about he mission. "What happened?" he asked in a worried voice. "Where are the others?"

"We split into two groups to sneak aboard the ship. The captain and I had infiltrated the deck, when suddenly the alarm went off, and they managed to catch Kyo who was in the second squad." One of the Ninja answered. "The captain jumped in to buy us time to escape since Kyo was injured. I don't know where the other two are, but she is still on the boat. Kakashi-san. She is facing off against Dool of the Mist!" the masked ANBU choked out.

All the color from Kakashi's face drained. His worst fears were coming true. Turning, he began towards the beach, praying he would make it in time to save her.

_Back on the boat~_

Yue and Dool were facing off against each other exchanging one attack after another. So far she had managed to avoid any major damage, but at the same time she had not landed any serious attacks either. Unfortunately for Yue, Dool had a huge advantage in this fight, as they were on top of water, which he is a master over.

"Skittering around like a little insect isn't going to do you any good little Nil." Dool taunted. "All this running around has gotten my quite bored."

"I am merely trying to get away from your rotting fish smell." Yue taunted back.

"Insulting people isn't nice Nil." Dool chastised. "Didn't I tell you before? Bad doggies must be punished."

"Didn't I tell you to take your best shot then?" sneered Yue.

"I guess I have no choice." Dool sighed dramatically. "I was hoping that you would run out of energy first so I wouldn't have to chase you, but I am tired of this game. WATER STYLE: Water Prison Jutsu!" he yelled as the whole boat was encased in a large water bubble.

_That bastard doesn't care if he hurts his subordinates at all,_ Yue fumed. _Heartless creep. _"FIRE STYLE: Evaporation Jutsu!" All around here the water began to slowly evaporate away into vapor.

"Well played little Nil but not fast enough. WATER STYLE: Shark Attack!" A huge shark made of water materialized in the evaporating bubble and managed to swallow Yue in one large gulp.

"SUMMONING JUTSU: Electric Eel!" Inside the shark's belly, Yue summoned an electric eel that shocked the shark from the inside. The huge water shark exploded into water once again.

"My poor baby!" Dool sniffed.

"LIGHTNING RLEASE: Lightning Calamity!" Yue yelled back sending bolts of lighting raining down all over the ship. Dool managed to dodge the majority of bolts, but was hit square in the back by one of them at the last minute.

As the smoke and water vapor vanished Yue was just able to make out the hunching form of Dool on the deck. "Damn you!" Dool panted. Yue could see that he had extensive burns and a deep wound from where the lightning had exited his body. "Don't think you have won. You are going to pay for what you have done!" he screamed, all traces of his earlier taunting gone.

"So you are finally getting serious?" Yue replied. "I expected more from you Dool."

Just then a group of ninja came running up from below deck. "You Lordship, we caught another ninja! This guy's a wood style user!" They yelled dragging a barely conscious Zo over to Dool. _Damn!_ Yue cursed to herself.

Dool grinned menacingly. "Wood style you say? Lord Orochimaru would love to see this." He sneered. "But I think he would like little Nil there more. How about a trade? I let this guy go, in exchange you come with us. Agreed? He asked.

"D-don't…d-do it!" gasped Zo.

"Agreed." Yue answered.

"Oh splendid!" Dool cheered. "Little Nil knows what's best in this situation."

"Of course I do." Nil replied, suddenly in front of Dool. Raising her short sword she plunged it deep into Dool's chest. In fits of bloodied coughs, Dool fell backwards while Yue wrested Zo from his clutches.

Hoisting him onto her back, Yue ran for the side of the boat. Just short of the edge she could hear a fast approaching whizzing sound. She just barely saw the glint coming off of the trident. If she didn't do anything, it would skewer Zo. Quickly flinging Zo over her shoulder, she was just barely able to fling him over the side when the trident plunged deep into her back.

As the world began to darken she was barely able to register the worried Zo staring back at her and faintly whisper a small, "Run!" before the blackness took her.

_Kakashi's group~_

Back in the forest, Kakashi had just turned to run towards the beach when Guy suddenly stopped him. "You mustn't go Kakashi!" Guy yelled. "Running in there without a plan first would be suicide!"

"If we don't go now, she could be killed!" Kakashi yelled back, trying to break free from Guy's grasp.

"Have faith in her strength!" Guy replied. "She wouldn't have sent the rest of her team away if she didn't think she could handle it!"

Before Kakashi could argue a badly injured Yamato came stumbling into the woods. "Kakashi senpai is right!" he gasped. "You need to get over there fast!"

"Captain Yamato!" Naruto yelled. "What is going on over there?!"

"We don't have time to waste!" He gasped again. "The captain took a fatal wound getting me off that boat! The might kill her any second!"

"No! They wouldn't kill her, but they would take her to Orochimaru!" Kakashi said racing off to the beach. "Neji, you come with me!"

"Sakura you heal their wounds. Sai and Lee stay here as her guards. The rest of you, follow me!" Guy ordered as he took off behind Kakashi and Neji.

Kakashi had just made it to the boat when he noticed something strange. "Neji scan the boat with your Byakugan." He ordered.

Neji nodded and quickly activated his Byakugan. After a quick scan Neji reported back. "Kakashi sensei no one is here." He replied. "I sense no traces of Chakra left."

Kakashi quickly climbed up onto the boat. To his dismay he found the deck littered with broken pieces of the boat and ninja corpses. Quickly he rushed through the carnage looking for any traces of Yue, because he refused to believe that she was one of those dead on board. Kakashi found no traces of her, or of Dool. "Damn it!" he yelled. "They must have taken her!"

"Kakashi sensei over there!" Neji yelled. Following Neji's gaze, Kakashi could see a tiny speck far off into the distance that appeared to be a bird of some sort. "I can just detect a small amount of Lady Yue's chakra coming from that bird. It's hard to tell though because there is another massive chakra that is masking it."

"Dool of the Mist." Kakashi growled. "The other person with her is probably Dool of the Mist."

"Where is he taking her?" Neji asked, as the others arrived at the scene.

"Kakashi, what is going on?" Sasuke asked.

"He is taking her back to Orochimaru." Kakashi growled again. "We are going after them!"

~~~~~~ SOooooooo, with my crazy life still in full swing i was surprisingly still able to find time to write(i am honestly shocked and quite pleased with myself, not to toot my own horn or anything) Anyway, I managed to finish the story in my random breaks here and there. I am still only going to upload them little at a time(i know i'm so mean! Mwahaha!) Enjoy!


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